NCHS
by Secret Dancer
Summary: Lloyd is the new kid in town when he meets Jay, Cole, Zane, Kai and their four best friends Wisp, Rocky, Shard, and Flame along with the school gang The Serpentine. Sensei Wu, the homeroom teacher, brings them all together and tells them they're ninja and dragons. But with storms, shapeshifting classmates, and the Samurai Games will they ever have time to beat Coach Garmadon? HS AU
1. The New Kid and the Gang

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 1: The New Kid & The Gang

_Er! Er! Er!_

Lloyd's alarm clock rang. He reluctantly opened his green eyes and moved his hand over to shut the thing up. His gaze met the calendar that lay on the floor next to him. He sat up and remembered that today was his first day at his new school, _Ninjago City High School. _

Lloyd got up and looked through the brown boxes on the floor and against the walls for the one labeled _clothes_. He was hesitant about his first day. After all, he was a new student moving in from Jamanakai Village and Ninjago City was _way _different than that place. As he slid on his black shirt with white markings and a green five at the shoulder, he thought about what kind of teens he might meet.

Lloyd had only one friend back in Jamanakai. That was the neighbor he'd visit who owned a private handmade comic business in hopes of one day owning a business is Ninjago City_. _Sure Rufus McCallister was a little strange but he was Lloyd's buddy. Rufus went by Mother Doomsday and was an expert in all things nerdy. Leaving him was like losing a brother.

Once he was ready for school he left the foster home and headed towards the bus stop. He held his backpack on one shoulder and kept his head down. He was very nervous and so he tried listening to what the others were saying.

"So, Wisp. I found a joke." A boy in blue said cheery.

"I can't wait to hear it, Jay!" The one called Wisp replied with a toothy smile.

"Why can't you trust an atom?" The one Jay asked with a grin on his face. Wisp thought hard before he shrugged.

"I give up."

"They make up everything!" Jay exclaimed and they both laughed. Lloyd chuckled to himself. It was a bad joke but the way Jay said it made it hilarious.

"I'm kidding, that joke was terrible. Here's the real one : What's the matter with airline food nowadays?"

"It's too airy?" Wisp asked.

"It's too _plane_!"

The bus pulled up and Lloyd was last to board. He had to find his seat first in case there was assigned seating like in JV. He found out it was three to a seat and the only opening was beside Jay and Wisp. That particular seat was where Lloyd was assigned. So he made his way through the crowded aisle all the way to the seat near the back of the bus.

"Hey, new kid! I'm Jay, this is my buddy Wisp!" Jay introduced while he scooted towards the window along with Wisp.

"Lloyd."

Lloyd took in the details of his bus mates. Jay had brown hair and blue eyes and a grin that instantly made you happy no matter the mood. He seemed like one of those people who was optimistic and a real jokester. Jay had on a blue shirt and brown pants and seemed carefree.

Wisp on the other hand was a blueish boy as far as skin color goes; it must be a medical condition. He had blue eyes and a white like hair color he dyed blue. He was wearing a white shirt with blue lightning on it and some blue jeans. Wisp held the feeling of mysterious and like his friend, optimistic and carefree.

"So, Lloyd, where are you from?" Wisp asked as he and Jay surveyed the new kid.

"Jamanakai Village."

"Whoa, that's really far from here." Jay commented.

"I know. I took a bus."

"How come you moved?"

Lloyd gulped at that one. He just met these boys. He wasn't telling them that he's a foster child. Not even Mother Doomsday knew he was a foster child and he was Lloyd's best friend. Lloyd knew he needed to make something believable up. He chose the first thing that popped into his mind without paying attention to what it was.

"I wanted to fall in love with a vampire named Edward." Lloyd's face drained of all color when he finished.

"You're not serious, right?" The two blue boys asked simultaneously.

"No, I was joking. I moved here because….I'd have a better opportunity of finding a job in Ninjago City then in Jamanakai Village. When I graduate of course."

The boys started laughing.

"You're cool Lloyd. Wanna' sit with our group at lunch?" Jay asked before winking.

"Sure, why not?" Lloyd asked and then Wisp and Jay lifted a fist and looked to Lloyd. He went along and the three fist bumped.

When the bus got to school, Lloyd was already comfortable with chatting with the boys. He might have found some potential friends already! That would be great if he could start school with some buddies. However, the trio had to split when Lloyd had to go to the office to find out any important information.

"Yes, are you the student we've been expecting?" A scary man with a dark and raspy voice asked. Lloyd almost freaked out when he saw and heard him.

"Y-yes." Lloyd stammered. He read the name tag on the desk and it read _Mr. Overlord._

_That fits_, Lloyd thought as he was receiving his planner, schedule, locker combo, ID number, and class route highlighted on the back of his planner where a map was printed. He had papers and a planner in his hands and he wasn't told where to go from here. He heard buzzing from the gym next to the office and it was quiet down the hall. He didn't dare talk to Mr. Overlord since that guy scared the flip out him. Instead he put all his stuff in his backpack and followed his ears.

"Hey, Lloyd! Over here!" Wisp called and Lloyd looked to see Jay and him sitting in the bleachers at the top with a couple of other boys. He climbed to the top where a spot was made for him.

"This is Lloyd." Jay introduced.

"I'm Zane. This is Kai, Cole, Flame, Shard, and Rocky."

Zane had a white, flat-top hairdo. His eyes were hazel and he seemed very strange. In his hands were gears and a motherboard along with a screwdriver. Zane was wearing a white button up shirt, black tie, and khakis along with black tennis shoes. He was mysterious and carried an uncharted bar of confidence that was foreign.

Kai had brown spikey hair with the spikes brushed to the left from Lloyd's angle but right from Kai's. His eyes were amber and held a certain fire. He was dressed in a red shirt and blue jeans. He was eyeing Lloyd with uncertainty.

Cole had black hair and dark brown eyes that almost looked black themselves. He was wearing a black sweatshirt and black camo shorts. He had a face that held happiness and friendship but Lloyd could tell it could turn stone cold and venomous in a heartbeat. He held a sense of authority so he must be the leader of the group.

Flame-Lloyd dropped his jaw at this- was a red tint with matching amber eyes. He also has orange hair with red dye in to keep a two tone color. The way it was brushed made it look like fire on his head. He was dressed in red as well and Lloyd assumed that he-like Wisp to Jay- was Kai's companion. He and Kai shared similar attitudes but Flame seemed more…tolerant.

Shard was albino with light blue eyes and white hair. He wore a white t-shirt and light blue skinny jeans. Usually skinny jeans were not compatible with males but Shard pulled it off flawlessly. He held a carefree and calm attitude with the mystery and confidence that Zane possessed.

Rocky was tan and he had messy and long like hair that was brown like dirt. He had muddy eyes and a neat smile. He wore a camouflaged shirt and brown cargo pants. There was a certain air to him that was strange. Everything about him was different but it was a comfortable different. He was a unique fellow and he carried a confident, sarcastic, appearance. Lloyd couldn't figure him out.

"What classes do ya' got kiddo?" Cole asked. Until now, Lloyd hadn't glanced at his schedule.

"Um… I've got-" But Lloyd was interrupted by a bell ringing. The noise got louder and students started filing out of the bottleneck that was the door.

"….homeroom?" Zane asked over the noise but Lloyd only caught the last word.

"Professor Wu." Lloyd half shouted.

"What?" Shard asked but he whispered it and his voice was heard.

But Lloyd was separated from the group by the stampede. He somehow made it to his locker and he saw the others side by side down at the connecting hallway. _Let's see, numbers…8-7-13, no 9-34-and what were those numbers? _He dug through his backpack trying to rediscover the papers and by that time the stampede was gone. He was all alone in the hallway.

"Aww man…homeroom with Professor Wu and I'm going to be late. I hope the new student card works." Lloyd sighed before he finally found the paper with locker information. He dialed the numbers and finally got the locker open.

"Thank you." He whispered to the heavens before trying to get things organized quickly and to get to class. He grabbed his planner and binder and turned to put his backpack in, only to be shoved in his locker and locked in. Lloyd only caught a glimpse of a couple of boys.

"We should have a new student today. Has anyone seen Lloyd Montgomery?" Professor Wu asked his pupils. He had a straw hat, a white beard with a connecting mustache, a white kimono with a red flower on the front right side and the some flower on the back. He also wore white combat shoes and carried a bamboo staff for when students misbehave.

"We saw him this morning. He must have gotten lost." Wisp answered.

"Would you go and look for him, Shard?" Wu asked and Shard nodded before getting up and exiting the classroom.

As Shard walked through the halls of the high school, he hadn't found Lloyd anywhere. He began to think that maybe Lloyd found his way and Shard had missed him. Then came the banging of a locker door.

"Let me outta here!" Came a voice that sounded like Lloyds.

"Lloyd, is that you?" Shard asked, forgetting to whisper, and the lights down the hallway shattered.

"Yes, and what was that noise? I'm claustrophobic!"

"What's your combo?"

"I don't know! Is my backpack out there?"

Shard looked around but there was nothing, "No."

_Those people who shoved me in must have taken it. _

"You either need to break the lock, pick it, or get someone else to let me out." Lloyd complained.

"I guess I'll have to break it. Cover your ears Lloyd."

"Why do I have to cover my-" Lloyd was cut off by a roar that broke the lock. The door opened and he fell out.

"Sorry about that." Shard whispered before helping the teen up.

"Did anyone else hear that?" Lloyd asked. His eyes were wide and he shook a little.

"No, I'm mute to them. Only certain people can hear me. Zane was the first. When we joined the group we found the others could hear me too. I always have to whisper or my roar will shatter things. You can share my locker until yours is fixed, I have barely anything in it."

"Thanks Shard. We better get to Homeroom. Aww, but I don't have my stuff."

"You're a part of the group, we all share. Just sit next to me and you'll be fine. What classes do you have?"

"I don't know. They're in my backpack and somebody stole it after they shoved me in my locker."

"We'll find out who it is. We better get going." Shard suggested before he and Lloyd scurried down the hallway to Homeroom which was ending in ten minutes.

"_Professor Wu, I found Lloyd_." Shard signed at the doorway.

"Ah, Mr. Montgomery. Late on your first day. What is your excuse?"

"I was locked in my locker. I don't have supplies either, the person stole my backpack." Lloyd explained but hushing his voice so that nobody else could hear.

"_It's true, I had to break him out of the locker_."

"What do you mean by 'break out'?"

"_I had to break the lock seeing as though his paper with the locker combination was in the stolen backpack."_ Shard explained.

"Trouble on the first day. But that is okay. We must learn from our mistakes. Find you a seat Lloyd. We must begin today's lesson with the time we have left." Wu stated calmly.

"So students, the Samurai Games are coming up. Are any of you planning to participate?" The Professor asked as he walked across the room with his arms behind his back.

"I am." Kai stated with over confidence and arrogance.

"As will I." Flame joined in and they both high fived and continued to survey the Prof.

"Excellent. And being in Blacksmithing and Samurai Training courses this year should help you to overcome your challenges. I know for a fact that this year's Samurai Games will be the toughest and most different Games the school has hosted."

"Bring. It. On." The two challenged under their breath.

_Riiiiiinnnnngggg!_

"You're dismissed. And Mr. Montgomery," Professor Wu said as students went out the door.

"Don't be late tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." Lloyd responded.

He quickly went back to the office to report his stolen backpack and to get another copy of his papers. He _really _didn't want to speak with Mr. Overlord but he knew he had too.

While Mr. Overlord was printing a new copy of the papers, Lloyd was observing him. The man was African American skinned almost black. He had purple eyes which were strange and held an evil to them. He was dressed in a black suit and he had an air to him that was…disturbing. Lloyd wasn't being racist, the man was terrifying. He noticed how people eyed him and the other students avoided him. _Maybe their judging by looks and not personality._

"One of these days, this city will fall to me. Starting with you pesky children." Mr. Overlord snarled before handing Lloyd his papers.

"Thanks." Lloyd replied before getting the heck out of there. That guy was crazy!

_Now to my first class._

"Skales, did you get the bag?" An evil voice hissed.

"Yes, Pythor. If I may ask but, what's so special about this bag?" Skales-a Junior - asked the Senior in purple.

"Because, Coach Garmadon asked us to get it. He knows something we do not and by complying with his requests, we'll get to find out what it is." Pythor replied.

"It sounds like," A high pitched voice began.

"You know," A low pitch voice continued.

"What you want." The Siamese twins spoke up. They were dressed in red and also Juniors.

"Yes, Fangtom. Somebody gets it. Where is your brother, Fangdam?" Pythor asked.

"He's wiping the cameras from the time where Skales shoved the boy in to the time we go back to class." Fangtom explained.

His brother was also Siamese twins and their mother named them one name since they couldn't be split. The brothers joined the gang called The Serpentine after seeing how it would benefit them and they could cause chaos. Being bullied all their life for being stuck together, this was a way to get back at those cruel people. They'd drive them underground! Just like the twins had been all their life.

The Serpentine's school meeting place was the sewer beneath the school. It was the only place that nobody dared to go and was accessible through a grate in the boy's bathroom. The place reeked but The Serpentine weren't going to let their noses foil their plans. Whatever kept others out kept them in.

"It's almost time for gym, there we can give the coach what he asked for. Get ready boys, we're about to go into the big leagues."

* * *

**A/N: Hello my readers! First off thank you for reading the first chapter of a story I wrote last summer. I decided to finally put it on the archives because I wanted you all to read it! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and if anybody wants to make any fanart for this story go ahead just make sure you message me because I'll want to see for myself. Thank you readers!**


	2. First Day and First Dream

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 2: First Day and First Dream

Lloyd examined his schedule to find he had Geometry first. His head sank, he was terrible at math. He trudged to class with faux confidence in his ability. Numbers got all jumbled in his head and the formulas would be switched or flipped. Let's just say that math is his enemy and he's never understood it. Being a foster kid, he never stuck around long enough to get a proper tutor.

He got to class two minutes before passing period was over. Inside he saw Kai and Flame sitting towards the window where bright sunlight was hitting them. Lloyd shuffled to where they were to see if there was assigned seating or not. It turns out that there wasn't and so Lloyd picked a seat in the back where he'd be ignored by other students.

The class flew by slowly for Lloyd as he was struggling with taking notes and asking questions to clarify. They received their homework and then the bell rang for the next class. Lloyd searched for his next class and found it was Biology.

It was there that he found Cole and Rocky in his class as lab partners. Lloyd was paired with a strange boy named Acidicus. He had sharp jagged teeth and bad breath that could melt through anything like acid. Lloyd made sure to distance himself and do most of the talking. Acidicus was dressed in dark green and had bands with bone spikes.

"Good morning students! Today, we'll be taking cheek swabs and examining them under a microscope. The school board doesn't want us doing anything extreme since the blood typing accident last year. They almost closed down the school for heavens sake. Anyway, work with your partners to focus the cells and try to find the cell wall and nucleus. Boring yes, but can't argue with the Board of Education." The elderly man greeted. He looked to be related to Professor Wu in some way.

Lloyd noticed that the man looked to be past his due date but held a youthfulness he only saw in Professor Wu. The teacher had a braided grey ponytail and wore a straw hat. He was dressed in a black kimono with white sleeves. On the back a golden dragon was imprinted in the middle. Lloyd knew two things, respect this teacher and do not get on his bad side.

When Acidicus swabbed his cheek and placed it on the slide, a small sizzling noise was heard. Lloyd looked under the microscope to find the slide melting. The glass plate was _melting _because of his partners spit. _That is some serious bad breath, _Lloyd thought.Acidicus merely chuckled at the discovery and then licked a pencil only to have the same effect.

"Can I offer you a mint?" Lloyd asked while secretly increasing his distance.

"No." The teen responded in a huff.

Lloyd looked at the slide again and it was melting through the microscope now. He looked back at his partner and suddenly wished for his elective to come sooner.

_When class ended….._

"Mr. Montgomery, may I have a word with you?" The teacher-Professor Garmadon- asked when Lloyd was gathering his things. The class was out the door in no time.

"There is something about you that reminds me of my grandson. I knew him only a short time."

"What happened to him?"

"I don't know. My daughter-in-law had to give him up. He could be anywhere."

"Are you related to Professor Wu?" Lloyd asked since the question had been bugging him the entire time.

"I should hope so, he's my youngest son. You are dismissed."

Lloyd continued to his first elective which was Gym. It was there he met up with the rest of his new group. There was also Acidicus and a few other strange boys hanging with the lab partner. Lloyd didn't have a uniform like the others but Shard lent him a spare one but it was loose.

"Alright peons, line up for warm up!" Coach Garmadon instructed with a dark voice. He-like Mr. Overlord- was also creepy and gave the feeling of repulsion.

Coach Garmadon was dressed in black and dark purple. He was the perfect man to be a P.E teacher since he had the strength and endurance. Yet something about his dark brown hair that was graying, and his dark brown eyes was familiar to Lloyd. _Right, he must be Professor Wu's older brother and the son of Professor Garmadon. Hence the last name._

"We're having our physical tests today. I hope you trained hard. I expect better results than the last failures." Garmadon spat.

"And the AC is out as well as the fountain being broken." He added sharply. A series of groans emerged.

"For that, drop and give me thirty!"

"So kid, how's your first day going?" Cole asked between push-ups. He got them done in a matter of seconds but continued to do more.

"Great. Thanks. For. Asking." Lloyd said in between painful push-ups.

"How'd. You. Do. That. So. Fast?"

"I've won the award for Most Athletic Student since middle school." Cole explained. He was on about sixty-seventy when Lloyd and several others were finished.

"Okay, test time! Line up!" Garmadon instructed and Lloyd followed with the others.

They went outside to the track and ran the mile. Again Cole was the first finished but continued jogging with Lloyd. Rocky, Shard, Flame, and Wisp were tied at second place. Lloyd didn't know when the others finished but one thing he did know was that he was out of shape. After running just a mile he wanted to lie on the ground and just wait there.

They lined up after everyone was complete and went back inside. It was time for the push-up, sit-up test. Then came the pull-up test, followed by the reflexes, agility, endurance, etc. Even Cole was exhausted and if the most athletic student was exhausted, the rest of the students would probably be dead.

_Riiiinnnngggg!_ The students got their second wind and rushed into the locker rooms to shower and change for lunch which was hamburgers or hot dogs.

"Why is this hot dog green?" Lloyd asked nervously. Jay gave it a weird look before taking it away and throwing it into the trash can from where they sat.

"Nice arm!" Zane commented. He'd brought his lunch from home that he made himself along with bringing Shard lunch as well.

When Zane first went to school with Shard, his albino friend had no money for school lunch and didn't bring any himself since he was so poor. Zane brought it upon himself to make two lunches in the morning. One for Shard and one for himself.

"I try." Jay shrugged.

"Thank you again Shard for letting me borrow your spare uniform." Lloyd said to the albino teen next to him.

"It's no problem."

"So, how'd you guys meet?"

"Well, if it weren't for homeroom with Professor Wu then I don't think we'd of ever became friends." Cole began with the story.

"See, Rocky and I were testing our limits. We went rock climbing on the highest and most difficult mountain in Ninjago. Nobody had ever climbed to the top. We were originally against each other but when we saw how much we were alike we became best friends."

"How does that relate to homeroom?"

"Just listen to the rest of the story."

"Wisp and I are neighbors who take the same interests. We were testing inventions together growing up and have been best friends." Jay told his part.

"Shard and I became companions since we were testing ourselves. We lived in a relatively cold region and it was there we discovered we were immune to it. We began to push the boundaries together and eventually became inseparable." Zane added.

"Flame and I met when he asked out my sister. We got into a fight and neither of us was gaining the upper hand. Finally we just gave up and shook hands. Been hanging out ever since." Kai continued.

"Then the school year began. We were all in homeroom with Professor Wu and that's where we noticed how we'd all had similar stories. It was then at lunch we began talking. Then came after school when we'd hang out. Our friendship expanded from there." Shard, Rocky, Flame, and Wisp each spoke a sentence.

"Why are you guys called by Flame, Wisp, Rocky, and Shard?" Lloyd asked. It was another question that had been on his mind.

"Well I'm red and Kai said I looked like a scrawny flame. The name just stuck and so that's what I go by."

"I chose my nickname." Wisp responded simply.

"It was when we were rock climbing. I kept kicking rocks down at Cole. He'd yell 'Rocky, slow down!' or 'Rocky, knock it off.' Then when we became friends I was used to the name and it acts as my real name."

"My real name is Shard."

"Off that topic. What'd you think about Coach Garmadon?" Kai asked before glancing at the date on the chocolate milk carton on his tray. He shrugged and began to chug it.

"He's very…strict. " Lloyd chose his words wisely. There just wasn't one to match the coach.

"Well, everybody hates him and he doesn't get a paycheck. He's always been grumpy and selfish. Why he has this job, we don't know." Kai replied before crumbling the carton and going to throw the tray away.

"It's time for us to leave for our next class." Zane pointed out after glancing at the clock that hung on the wall.

"Oh right." The guys muttered before throwing their trays away and following Zane out of the cafeteria.

_Next I've got History. I always liked that class. I wonder who the teacher is going to be. I hope it's someone awesome like Professor Wu or Professor Garmadon. Not scary like Coach Garmadon or Mr. Overlord._ _Cole and Rocky are ahead of me, they must be in there too. Oh, they went into a different class. I guess I'm alone._

Students were already in their seats and Lloyd didn't know any of them. There were a few strange boys and girls that seemed to match Acidicus. Lloyd noticed that certain ones wore the same color and they held similar appearances and demeanors. And they all hung around together by that colored group. It was weird. Lloyd asked around for an empty seat and when he found one he got settled.

Moments later the teacher came in. She had grey braided hair and friendly brown eyes. She was dressed in a tan shirt with a green ascot. She wore brown pants too and glasses.

"I'm Misako. Do not call me Mrs. Misako. Just Misako." She introduced simply. Lloyd liked her already.

When Misako's class ended, Lloyd had to go to his Advanced English class. His teacher would be Mr. Samukai. When he got to class, the teacher was already there at his desk. Lloyd was the first to arrive. Mr. Samukai was another one of those creepy teachers. He was very bony and pale, like a skeleton. _What's with this school and hiring freaky teachers?_

When Mr. Samukai's class was over it was time for seminar. Lloyd was going to stay in the library after school for the after school homework help. He moved down the hallways to the outside where a single trailer rested. He checked the map again before walking in. He sighed in relief when he was in the right place.

"You must be Mr. Montgomery. I am retired Captain Soto. You may call me Mr. Soto." The male teacher stated. He had an accent that sounded pirate like.

"Captain? What kind of captain?"

"Pirate captain. I owned a ship called Destiny's Bounty. Quite a beauty, she was."

"Mr. Soto, what exactly _is _seminar?"

"At this school it's where you can fill out a pass to go to another class for any questions you may have about an assignment, visit the library to check out a book, or even just do your homework here so you have more free time at home. You do get a grade however, just for how you spend your time."

"Oh okay." And with that, Lloyd went to his seat and began to work on his homework, saving math for the library later.

Linebreak

Zane and Shard were at Robotics Club instead of seminar. The teacher had a doctorate degree in robotics and engineering. Dr. Julien was in fact Zane's father. In Robotics Club, Zane was working on a project for the science fair, a robotic Falcon companion. Shard was crafting the arm of a robot he was putting together as a defender bot dubbed _The Juggernaut._

Jay and Wisp went to Engineering class instead of seminar. Jay's parents were the teachers there.

"Jay, it's been so long since we saw you." Edna squealed while hugging her son in front of the entire class.

"Moooom! You saw me this morning!" Jay whined, feeling embarrassed.

During a slideshow a sudden picture of Jay in a bubblebath when he was little popped up. Jay facepalmed.

"Oh look, wasn't Jay _so_ _cute_ as a baby?"

"Class, mom, class!" Jay reminded her through the laughs. The slideshow was over in a few minutes.

"Nya, could you hit the lights please?" Ed asked while he was digging through tools in his toolbox.

Jay looked over to see who Nya was and he couldn't help but stare. She was one beautiful girl. Black short hair, lovely amber eyes, tall. She was dressed in a red kimono and Jay only saw her. Then he was elbowed by someone. Wisp.

"Dude, quit staring. That's Kai's sister." Wisp whispered.

"She is? Oh, I don't have a shot with her if she's Kai's sister." Jay muttered sadly. He glanced at the girl as she was returning to her seat.

Cole and Rocky were at their own seminar class and after school they had football practice. Whenever they had a game the boys would all show up to cheer the two on. Rocky was the quarterback and Cole was the lineman. The team had only lost one game the entire year because of the old quarterback and lineman, Pythor and Skales. Now the old and new players have a rivalry.

Kai and Flame were at their blacksmithing class and would have their samurai training class tomorrow in its place. They rotate days since the classes are taught by the same instructor, Professor Wu.

"Kai, your metal is loud and heavy. Useful to slow one down but, useless in the art of stealth. All the tools of a samurai but nothing for a ninja."

"A ninja won't win the Samurai Games, old ma- er Professor." Kai answered back. The professor was used to that behavior from Kai and he simply ignored it.

"I wasn't speaking about the games."

Linebreak

When school ended, Lloyd went to the library to work on his math homework where help was. The other boys went home-excluding Cole and Rocky. Zane and Shard began their homework. Jay and Wisp went out to anywhere except Jay's place. Kai and Flame went to go eat a second lunch at Darkley's Bad Burgers since the school's was inedible.

The librarian was dressed in all brown. He had brown hair and eyes and carried a laidback and calm attitude. His voice was strange as well but he seemed slightly lonely or Lloyd thought he did.

"I am Grand Librarian Dareth and I dareth you to read one hundred books this year." He said to each student that walked in.

"I'm at thirty so far Dareth." A black haired and circle glasses boy said.

"All these awards are from when I was in school and I read the most books." Dareth said, his arm outlining the awards on the wall.

"Hey nerd, that's where I sit." A voice said behind Lloyd who was stuck on his fifth geometry question.

"I thought it was free seating. Couldn't you sit somewhere else?" Lloyd asked coolly. He didn't want a fight on his first day.

"No. That's where I sit. That is where I shall sit. You can move the easy way, or I can dump you out the hard way."

"Gene, are you causing trouble again? I told you if you did that one more time that I'd-" Dareth began.

"No it's okay, Dareth. He was just asking me the answer to question 2. I was going to move over to the other table since I was having such luck at this spot." Lloyd answered knowing that it didn't make much sense.

"That totally makes sense." Dareth said before walking back to gloat to the other students.

"I didn't need your help." The boy named Gene said grouchily. Lloyd was packing up his stuff.

"I know. But I gave it to you." Lloyd answered simply before placing it all in his backpack and leaving.

When he got to his foster house, his foster parents were out. Lloyd finished his homework and then went to get a shower to reflect on his first day at NCHS.

_So on my first day I made some awesome friends, met weird teachers, saw some teachers who felt familiar, and got threatened by a mean boy. But this morning I was shoved in a locker and my stuff was stolen. I learned a lot about my friends but I know more than meets the eye when it comes to them. We have the rest of the school year, I'm sure I'll learn a lot about them._

He reached for the shampoo and found the foster parents only had one bottle. The last family he had had an unlimited supply of like fifty billion bottles. Lloyd squeezed some in his hand and began to clean his blonde locks. He waited for the substance to sink in and so he read the label on the bottle. He wanted to know what these parents were having him use.

_Warning, if you are below the age of eighteen do not use. May cause head rash or severe dandruff. _

"What! Now you tell me?" He whined before quickly rinsing the black gel off and scrubbing hard with his fingers to remove it.

"No, no, no, no, no!"

"Aww man…" He groaned before ignoring the hair and washing the rest of him.

When he got out of the shower he went to bed. He needed to wake early to catch the bus. Lloyd's foster parents weren't home yet and it was almost midnight. He had been lying awake and thinking about living in Jamanakai when he drifted into sleep.

_"All this time I was focused on being the Green Ninja. When all this time I should have been focused on protecting him." Kai said looking to him._

_ Lloyd looked around as golden weapons were placed around him and a green light shined._

_ "The battle of brother versus brother has now expanded to father versus son." Professor Wu stated sadly._

_ "I…have to fight my father now?" Lloyd asked and hoped it wasn't so._

_ "We'll be with you Lloyd. All the way." Cole assured him._

_ "Thanks guys."_

_ The scene changed to one of a man. He was pitch black skinned and wore armor and had glowing red eyes that Lloyd couldn't forget. His helmet had a bone on the top. What scared Lloyd the most was that the man had four arms. And yet, while he'd never seen this man before Lloyd knew him. He was his father._

_ "Dad?" Lloyd asked._

_ "Lloyd? I'm sorry I can't be with you. It was the snakebite. It turned me evil. And now you must fight me."_

_ "Father, I'm sorry. I didn't know!" Lloyd said, his voice younger._

_ "It's okay Lloyd. You can be whatever you want to be. I understand. Just know, that we'll have to fight one day and when we do, I'm sorry." _

_ "Dad!" Lloyd shouted as his father began to slip back and away from him. Lloyd began to chase after his father but he was never fast enough._

_ "DAD!" He screamed._

_ The world began spinning into a black vortex and the floor fell beneath Lloyd's feet. He fell from the heights into a bottomless pit. The walls were white but the floor and ceiling were black and endless. _

_A golden dragon appeared from nowhere and wrapped around the trapped boy. The two merged together and Lloyd became the dragon. They were one in the same. The dragon flew through the wall and emerged in a field of light. Lloyd was cast out of the dragon and the golden beast flew away._

"_Grandpa?" Lloyd asked and the dragon turned its head and winked before returning to the heavens of where it came from._


	3. The Serpentine

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 3: The Serpentine

_Flashback:_

_"Coach Garmadon, we've brought the boys bag." Pythor said as he slithered into the room. He was the tallest student on campus at seven feet, when in human form at least._

_ "Excellent work boys. You shall be rewarded. What is it you desire?" Garmadon asked with an evil smile as he rummaged through the contents of the green backpack._

_ "This dumb school to shut down." Skales asked. _

_ "That's all? Pretty small request if you ask me." Garmadon said before finding the boys wallet._

_ "Not only the school shutting down but, to destroy Cole, Rocky, and their friends. I want them torn into pieces!" Pythor lashed out. His grudge would be eternal until those boys paid for taking his spot on the team._

_ "That's more like it. I like you Pythor, you think dark." Garmadon praised._

_ "Oh yes, Pythor. I like that much better." Skales admitted._

_ "What do you know about this Lloyd Montgomery?" Garmadon asked the two._

_ "He sits next to me in Biology." Acidicus stated._

_ "Good. Spy on him. If you can, try to recruit him into the Serpentine. If we can get him on our side while he's new, we may gain information on how to plot the teen's downfall."_

_ "Yes, sir."_

_ "Any others who share classes with this boy, you do the same."_

_ "Yes, Coach Garmadon."_

_ When the Serpentine left, Garmadon studied the ID card. The boy had blonde hair much like his brother, Wu, and green eyes as his mother. He looked as his wife described their lost son to be. However this could not be him since their son was stillborn. But, that doesn't eliminate the possibility that he could have somehow survived. Garmadon would take extra care to observe this boy._

_End of Flashback._

"Pythor, how do you think Garmadon will make our requests happen?" Skalidor asked.

"He's got a kind of power you wouldn't believe. You'd be surprised what that coach can do."

"Where will we go when the school shuts down?" Mezmo-a Hypnobrai- asked. They lost their extended s's when they were humans.

"Wherever we want. When we destroy the group of losers, we'll be able to go anywhere. Trust me, Garmadon rewards those who deserve it."

"You sound like you have a lot of faith in him. What if he isn't all he says he is?"

"Ah, Skalidor. If you knew what I knew. You would have faith too."


	4. Storm Warning

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 4: Storm Warning

Zane woke up to the sound of thunder and an awful feeling in his stomach. It was still dark in his room. He turned his head to examine the numbers on the alarm clock. _4:09._ Zane got up and went to look outside. A large fork of lightning flashed before his hazel eyes.

"I see. A storm has approached. I feel as though it will be a strong one. I might need to get the emergency kit, just to be safe." He said to himself before leaving his room and traveling downstairs.

"Ah, Zane. You're awake. I see the storm has waken you too." Dr. Julien said while working on repairing the lantern so they could have a little light.

"I wonder how Shard is doing. He does live in that trailer and this storm is quite brutal." Zane wondered aloud.

"The poor boy, and his parents are always on business trips." Dr. Julien added.

"I know. It is a shame that he misses out on family time. That only helps me learn to appreciate what I have."

"Is the phone working?" Zane asked after getting an idea.

"Should be."

Zane dialed Shard's number. He wanted to check on his best friend. It rang until it went to voicemail. That was unlike Shard. Plus his phone was battery powered, not electric. Zane got worried and called again. No answer.

"Father, how severe _is _this storm?" Zane asked.

"There were some tornado warnings issued out but none around here. Oh, and there may have been a flashflood warning distributed. Why?" Dr. Julien asked concerned.

"I've got to go out. I'll be back soon." Zane told him while putting on his rain jacket.

"Be safe Zane."

"I will."

Zane hurried out into the storm. The sky was blacker than the night and the rain was harsh. The wind howled and slammed against the trees and cars and buildings. This only made him worry for his friend more. Zane was running and it blew his hood back, allowing the raindrops to run down his face and collect in his hair.

As he was nearing Shard's neighborhood, he noticed the water pooling to his ankles. He felt it rise the closer he got. Soon it was at his waist. Zane's heart was racing. By the time he'd get there who knows how deep the water would be? The streetlamps started going out and Zane's vision was obstructed as he waded through the water.

He turned one more street and saw the sign for the street name. Zane gasped. There was a small dam about five miles out from here. He could already tell that something was wrong with the dam. _This day is just getting better and better. _The water was to the point where Zane couldn't touch the ground anymore. Luckily he had learned to swim growing up.

_Shard's trailer should be around here somewhere but, it's so hard to see. _Zane swam down the road further and he barely caught glimpses of people on the roof of their house as the water rose higher. _The poor people, all their possessions washed out. Precious photos and memories destroyed. _He knew he must be getting close to Shard's trailer because he saw the mansion at the end of the cul-de-sac with the water covering the second floor.

Zane finally reached the trailer spot. He could feel it in every part of his body. He saw people shivering on their roofs but he didn't see the trailer. _Where could it be? _But when the answer came to him, it was bone chilling. _Under the water._

"Here it goes." Zane whispered to himself before diving under.

A little girl on a roof whispered to her younger brother, "That guy sure is brave or sure is stupid. The dam is about to burst. I wonder what he's going to do."

Zane swam down and he could faintly make out the metal walls. He got to the door and the pressure was keeping him from opening it. Paddling to the window he could barely peek through the blinds. There, he could see Shard. _I'm coming friend!_

As Zane was trying to break the glass he couldn't help but let the sight of Shard haunt him. The albino boy wasn't moving but, floating in the trailer. The house was full to the brim and luckily nobody else was in there. How long it had been full, Zane didn't know. A metal pole floated by and Zane grabbed it and began spearing the window with it. He knew he had to resurface for air soon or he'd be in Shard's situation. So he paddled back up to the top.

"Look, that guy again." She whispered again before seeing him dive back under.

_CRACK!_

"Uh, oh."

Zane still had to pole in his hands and was using all his strength to break the glass. Usually water pressure would have shattered it but apparently not. Finally after continuous blows, the glass shattered and he was sucked inside the trailer. _Now to get Shard out of here._

He released the pole and grabbed his friend around the waist with one arm before paddling out. Then a large force slammed against them and they were taken with it. _The dam!_ Being slammed into buildings, cars, and street lamps were not on Zane's to-do list but the waves that carried them thought otherwise. He worked to paddle to the surface and try to find a way out of this.

"I wonder where that boy is. No doubt that he drowned." The girl sighed sadly before pulling her feet to her chest.

Zane emerged at the surface and grabbed the first thing he could see. Using all his remaining strength, he pulled his friend onto the rooftop and soon followed. Shard still wasn't breathing and Zane worked on trying to get the water out of his lungs.

"Please be alright. Please, Shard." He begged. After several compressions, Shard threw up water and it ran down the rooftop.

"Ouch."

"Zane? Why aren't I in my house?"

"Flashflood and the dam busted."

"That's a lot of water."

"I know. But you are alright."

"Did you save me? All I remember was….nevermind."

"Yes, I did save you."

Shard hugged his buddy and the sun was starting to peep up.

"My parents-" Shard began.

"Don't worry. I didn't see them. They must be late or held up at the airport."

The two waited through the morning to be rescued. Zane couldn't call his father since his cell phone was shorted out. Shard pointed out a helicopter before being blinded by a light that ricocheted at him.

"Hey Zane, we're on TV." He grinned before passing out.

"Shard?" Zane asked, shaking him, trying to wake him up.

_Creeek! Smash!_

"Aaaahhh!"

"That guy!" The girl exclaimed.

_Several Hours Later…._

"Zane Julien?" Professor Wu asked during roll call. He received no response.

"Where is Mr. Julien?"

"We don't know Professor. Shard's missing too." Rocky answered.

"Very well. Who's next, oh right, Cole Lou?"

"Here."

"Lloyd Montgomery?"

"Here."

Professor Wu carried on through roll, read announcements, and then left to go get some forms. That gave the class some talk time. The group turned in their desks to face each other.

"I wonder where they went." Cole began to conversation with the question on everyone's minds.

"On the ride to school, I pass by Shard's neighborhood. We had to detour because the entire neighborhood was flooded." Kai said.

"Could that mean?" Lloyd asked while scratching his head again.

"No, do not talk like that. They are okay. Nothing happened." Jay said out of his cheery self. He was trying to talk himself into not worrying.

"Wait, Zane's last name is Julien. Isn't there a teacher at this school with that last name?" Lloyd asked.

"OH yeah! I bet that's Zane's dad!" Cole concluded.

"So we should ask him. Zane and Shard are almost always together. If Shard vanished then Zane probably would have gone after him." Wisp finished and right on time too. Professor Wu came back in.

"These forms are for the Samurai Games. You have to have a team for the first semester and for the second it is the best players on the teams. Find yourself a team, find yourself in the games." The professor announced.

"Ooh! Got a team here, professor!" Flame declared eagerly. Wu handed the forms to each member.

"We didn't agree to this!" Rocky whispered to him.

"Trust me." He assured him.

_During seminar…._

"Mr. Soto, may I fill out a pass to see Dr. Julien?" Lloyd asked holding his planner in his hands.

"Of course."

Lloyd followed the map on his planner until he got to Dr. Julien's room. There were only ten students in there all working quietly. Lloyd knocked on the door. He saw a red haired man come his way.

"Hello, are you lost little fellow?" the man, hopefully Dr. Julien- asked.

"Are you Dr. Julien?"

"No. He's taken a personal day. Something to do with his son."

"Oh, well thank you anyway."

Lloyd went back to seminar with worry and an itchy scalp. _What could have happened to Zane and Shard? From the sound of it, something bad since Zane's father wasn't even here. I hope it's nothing serious! Oh!_

Lloyd couldn't focus on his homework and when school ended he quickly met up with the others since Cole and Rocky didn't have football practice. They went to Darkley's, a popular high school hang out from the looks of it. The group even had a table they sat at every time they came.

"So kid, what'd you find out about Zane and Shard?" Kai asked.

"Dr. Julien wasn't there. He'd taken a personal day. Something must have happened to them." Lloyd answered sadly. Cole shot up with his hands spread apart on the table.

"Something happened and we're here? Come on!" He said before the waiter could even come to ask for drinks. They hurried out the door towards Rocky's house apparently.

"Why are we going to your place?" Lloyd asked. Being the newbie to the group, he didn't know jack.

"My parents own two RV's. A big one for road trips and a small one for camping. We're going to take the camping one." Rocky explained as they ran there.

Rocky ran inside for a moment.

"Mom, Dad! I'm taking the camping RV for a little while! My friends and I are going out!" He shouted.

"Okay, better not scratch it!" His dad warned. Rocky grabbed the keys and hurried to start the vehicle up.

"Where are we going?" Jay asked curiously as Rocky shot down the road. Lloyd held onto the chair for dear life.

"To Shard's neighborhood. We're going to search for clues." Cole explained. He had the seat closest to his best friend.

_This sounds like Scooby Doo._

_Linebreak_

_Flashback_

_ "This is Shard'sssss neighborhood, Coach Garmadon. I'm sssure of it." Skales hissed as he slithered to stand beside Pythor and the gym teacher._

_ "Do not tell anyone about this or I will make sure everybody knows your secret and you pay for your insolence." Garmadon threatened._

_ "Yes, sir." Pythor answered and Skales red eyes glowed in the night._

_ Garmadon shoved his hands out and dark lightning shot from his palms. The element zapped the dam and cracks began forming. He gritted his teeth and concentrated harder as more began to shoot and crack the fragile dam as though it were glass. Pythor, Skales, Skalidor ,Fangtom and Acidicus watched in awe and any doubts they had about Garmadon were vaporized. Finally the dark coach shattered the water barrier._

_ "That should take care of one of those pesky brats. If you continue your loyalty I'll be sure to make your allegiance worthwhile. For now, here's a bit for your troubles."_

_ Garmadon summoned more of his dark power and distributed a part to each tribe leader. Their small powers increased and black scales now conjoined with the other patterns._

_Fangtom's miniature fangs grew in size and a block of concrete flew his way, he bit it and it became a serpentine. Acidicus was able to take his venom and spit it a long distance. Skalidor could feel his muscles tense and become stronger, his grip would be more powerful. Pythor felt no different except his hunger for vengeance was stronger. Skales felt his influence over others become stronger and a red beam shot from his eyes by accident._

_ "Welcome to the darkness. I knew the Serpentine gang would be worthy of my powers."_


	5. Broken Pieces

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 5: Broken Pieces

Rocky pulled the small RV up to the neighborhood. The water had already drained some but it was still flooded. The group figured that most of the investigators would be at the dam, trying to figure out how it burst. The National Guard had already saved the people from their roofs. Shard's trailer wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Hey, kids. This area is off limits. What brings you here?" A police officer asked.

"Who are you?" Rocky asked through the open window.

"Special Agent Patty Keys. We're doing an investigation for survivors. Unless you all are a part of some internship I can't let you in."

"Oh, we'll leave then." Rocky said before backing up and taking a back road.

"Please, like we'd leave when our friends could be in danger." He muttered.

"What are we going to do?" Lloyd asked.

"Break into some houses. Just don't get caught by police. Rendezvous here in an hour. Remember, don't get caught." Cole explained before leaping out the door while the vehicle was still moving. Lloyd could see him sneak inside a house.

"Maybe you should wait in the car newbie. I don't think you have the skills for this mission." Kai said to the blonde boy. So Lloyd waited and scratched at his head again.

Rocky went the house next to Cole. Jay and Kai took the next buildings. Flame had to go a little farther to the next house because there was a large water hole. Wisp snuck into the mansion. The investigators and police were swarming while searching for survivors. The bad part was that nobody knew where Shard's house was, only that he lived in this neighborhood. And the only person who might have a clue was also missing.

Kai dug through the debris for any signs of their friends being here. He searched all the rooms in the house. _What does Rocky expect us to find in these house? The two happy and dancing to Never Goona Give You Up? _Kai came up short and so he left to the next house.

Rocky searched through his house but all he found was mud and broken things. He had to wait a couple of minutes because of a detective in search of any signs of survivors. He was surprised that they didn't bring their dogs with them. On other circumstances most people were on their roofs during the incident. Rocky too came up with no evidence of Zane or Shard and so he too continued on to the next house.

Jay was snooping around this weird house. He even got a splinter from a rogue object. He searched from the flooded basement to the attic upstairs. Just as he was about to give up hope, he found something. He pocketed the object and began searching for more like it. Then he went to the next house and searched more.

Flame had searched through his house and was almost done searching through the second when he reached the thirty minute mark. He hadn't found any trace of the albino teen. Shard may have been his opposite but the boy lived a harder life with his parents gone all the time and being an only child. Flame at least had eight brothers _and_ sisters as well as a set of parents. He found nothing useful and so he decided he'd search one more house before giving up and heading back to the RV.

Cole had been hiding in a hollowed out piano bench for forty-five minutes. Two investigators were mumbling back and forth and scribbling on paper meant that they were taking notes and sharing them. _Hurry up, it's hot and cramped in here. Can't you two talk later? Take your notes and GO. _When the two finally finished and left, Cole crawled out of his hiding spot and began to examine the house.

He went upstairs and downstairs and couldn't find a thing. Then he went to check the garage and found something interesting. There was a gaping hole in the ceiling and the roofing was scattered about. The car that occupied the area had glass missing. Cole began to dig through the car and underneath the driver's seat he found…._Zane's shoe._ He hurried to the RV.

Wisp didn't know that the mansions owners were still inside. He figured they would have bailed with the rest of the neighborhood. The first floor was flooded but the second and third were dry. Wisp had snuck around but couldn't find anything, until he found a photograph. It had Shard in it but his parents were smiling faux smiles.

"_I hope our abnormal son Shard, drowned in that rusty old trailer. What would our friends have thought if they saw him? And with us visiting him every so often and lying about being on business just makes me want to kill the boy already. I mean, he isn't worth anything anyway and nobody will ever love a strange kid so what's the point in keeping him?" _A woman said in a grouchy voice.

"_Dear, if you kill him then we'll be liable. We are his parents legally. Unless he dies of an 'accident' then we can't be rid of him. Anyway, he still is our son and until he's an adult we can't disown him." _Her husband said.

"_I just want him out of our lives. He's so different. He's a disgrace to mankind. That pasty skin and how he doesn't talk. It's so annoying!"_

Wisp took this time to leave. He didn't want to hear this conversation any longer! He hurried through the open window but in his haste he knocked over a vase and it shattered. The couple started coming towards him and he leaped out the window into the flood. After swimming towards the shallow end and getting coated in mud, he sprinted to the RV.

"Wisp, we were just about to go looking for ya'. Look, we found some things." Kai said to the panting boy who laid a photo on the table.

"I found….this."

The evidence consisted of a large red snake scale that Jay found, Zane's shoe, and a photograph of Shard and his hateful family.

"So Shard lives in a mansion? And he never invited us over?" Jay asked in disbelief.

"No, he lives in a trailer. His parents don't want him. I overheard them talking about wanting him out of their lives. See their faces, they aren't even happy around him. And he doesn't know. And the way he talks about them. Nobody tell him. It'd break his heart." Wisp replied staring at the photo.

Shard's pale blue eyes were shining as bright as the sun and his smile was one of pure happiness. He looked like the happiest boy in the world and to be about seven or eight. His parent's faces were those of a phony smile. Their eyes were dull and uninterested and their smiles fake and plastic. How could they be related?

"Maybe they were just having a bad day." Jay suggested, trying to find the bright side.

Rocky started up the RV and drove towards Lloyd's house. It was there Lloyd said that they could watch the news for any taping of the incident and also so the boys could clean up since they were all covered in mud. Lloyd's foster parents would still be at work.

"You guys want anything?" Lloyd asked. He used his guest manners that his third foster mom taught him. He just heard I'm good and no thank you's.

"So Lloyd, what do your parents do for a living?" Flame asked.

"Mom's an accountant and dad's a dentist. They're gone all day most of the time."

"Wish I had parents with that job. Then it'd be easier to pay for my medical bills." Wisp said.

"Medical bills?" Jay asked. Apparently he didn't know all he though he did.

"I have a heart condition. That's why my skin is a blue color. Not enough oxygen." He explained.

"What kind of heart condition?"

"Hypo-plastic left heart syndrome. I've been on the transplant list for years."

"The news is starting!" Kai exclaimed and they all squished together on the couch and some moved to the floor.

"_Breaking News with Gayle Gossip. I'm here the Ninjago Hospital where last night's flood victims are staying. Our brave National Guard was there to help rescue those stranded on their rooftops. Here is a replay of this morning from our Ninjago City News Chopper."_

"_Oh no! A roof is caving in!"_ Gayle gasped in fake enthusiasm. Two white specs fell through.

The new clip was of Gayle in the hospital. While she was talking, Flame saw something go past her.

"Rewind!" He half shouted on accident.

"Now pause." He said quieter this time.

Behind Gayle was a bit of a pair of skinny jeans and an arm, both on gurneys. Everyone knew of one person who could wear skinny jeans the right way. They all rushed to the RV.

Rocky floored it all the way to the hospital.

When they got there, they could leave the RV fast enough. After checking in with the receptionist and being pointed to the right ward and room numbers, the group went to find their lost friends. They went to Zane's room first since it was the closest and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Zane's cheery voice said through the door.

"Zane!" The teenage boys exclaimed and they all rushed him.

"I didn't realize I was _this _popular."

"What are you in here for?"

"They're running tests to make sure I'm not wounded. Has anyone checked on Shard? Are his parents here?" Zane asked.

"No, we just found out you were here." Cole admitted.

"Go check on him. I'll be fine." Zane assured them.

They then hurried to the ICU where Shard was. They opened the door and….


	6. Hospital Visit

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 6: Hospital Visit

"Oh, hello. You must be those friends that Zane told us would come." The nurse said as she placed a new IV bag.

"What happened to him?" Wisp asked.

"He's in a temporary coma. His brain is waterlogged. If he wakes up or how severe the damage is, we will not know." She replied before leaving. Their faces each held pained expressions.

Kai growled before punching the wall and storming out.

"Kai!" Flame called before chasing after him.

"What's going on?" Lloyd asked.

"Kai's going on a rampage. You should wait in Zane's room. We'll go after him."

Lloyd went to Zane's room to comfort his new friend. He didn't want to tell him about Shard and so he said he was doing okay.

Kai stormed out of the hospital. He was growling outside and kicking a nearby tree.

"His parents did this! They did this! All because of their snotty prep friends! If he dies it's because of those monsters! Gah, I just want to break something!" Kai shouted while hurling rocks at the pine.

"Kai, calm down. Killing a tree won't solve anything. I know you're mad at Shard's parents but we can't do anything. Yelling and screaming won't help." Flame said but after seeing the fire in Kai's eyes he knew his efforts were pointless.

"Why would somebody be that cruel? Why would they abandon their own kid? WHY! And why won't this stupid tree fall?!" He said, kicking and attacking it more.

"Kai, dude, we're upset too but if you keep the fire up eventually you'll get burned." Cole said as the boys came running out the door.

When Kai didn't listen, Cole grabbed his arms and locked them from behind. Rocky picked his legs up and they carried the squirming teen back inside the hospital. They were stared at and Jay and Wisp were laughing their butts off.

"Let go of me! I can walk on my own!" Kai growled before he was dropped in front of Zane's door.

"So guys, have you collected my homework so I may keep up with what I'm missing?" Zane asked.

"No, but we'll bring it tomorrow." Rocky replied.

"I do not wish to get behind. Thank you friends. Was Shard awake when you saw him?"

"No, he was sleeping." Lloyd answered. He saw Kai's eyes hold a quick spark.

"I hope he recovers. I don't know what I'd do without my best friend." He confessed.

"We're just glad that you're both alive." Cole said and everyone smiled.

"Excuse me, but I'm going to have to ask one of you to step out. It's too crowded in here." A nurse said before checking Zane's stats.

"I'll go." Lloyd volunteered. He was thinking about going to Shard's room anyway.

While he was walking on the stairs he was thinking about Shard's parents. They abandoned him and that angered Lloyd. That meant he and Shard were in the same boat basically. Abandonment was a sensitive issue for him and knowing he wasn't alone was nice but, Shard didn't know. That was the worst part. That Shard didn't know because his parents didn't care enough to spare him from disappointment like Lloyd's parents did.

When Lloyd opened the door he was wishing that he'd see the pale eyed teen sitting up and watching a soap opera or something lame on TV. Instead he saw the same still boy lying on the hospital bed, just clinging to life. _All because of heartless parents._

Even though he met the group only two days ago he felt like he belonged with them. Shard had been the nicest and most understanding out of all of them and Lloyd felt bad that he had to suffer like this. It was unfair that the innocent are always being used and abused. The monitor beeped steadily with Shard's heart rate.

"Look Shard, I know I haven't known you as long as the others but, I'm really sorry that this had to happen to you. If anything, I wish it was me. I've dealt with pain all my life and you don't deserve this." Lloyd muttered as stared out the window.

"I'll tell you something funny though. In my strange dreams I've been having, you were an ice dragon. Cool huh?" Lloyd asked, looking to see the same plain expression plastered on pale skin.

_What if he dies? Will his parents even care? I know the guys will but, besides them, who else would show up to the funeral? I'm guessing some of the teachers would since Shard is such a good kid. Stop it Lloyd! He won't die! He's too strong for that. I just know he is. If you think negative thoughts then you just add fuel to the fire._

"It shoulda been me." He muttered before sitting down in the chair next to Shard. The TV was on some dumb soap opera and he watched it out of boredom.

In Zane's room Jay was telling jokes in order to cheer everyone up. Every thirty minutes a nurse would come in to check on Zane.

"Sir, you really shouldn't be checking on me. I feel perfectly fine. It is my friend Shard who needs assistance."

"Shard?" The male nurse asked raising his eyebrow.

"He's albino. Has pale blue eyes. White hair."

"There is no patient on this floor with the description."

"Which floor is he on?"

"Let me go check."

"Guys, what is he talking about?" Zane questioned. The teens exchanged glances. Then the nurse walked back in.

"There's a boy in the ICU with that description but I don't know his name."

The nurse left. It was getting dark outside. Kai checked the clock on the wall.

"Aww, I've got to be heading him soon. Nya will kill me if I'm late."

"We've got to go Zane. I hope you can leave this place soon." Cole said while on his way out. They got in the RV and drove off. Lloyd was still in Shard's room, oblivious to being left behind.

"Excuse me, but we've got to bring Shard in to get tests done. Visiting hours are almost over." The doctor said.

"Okay, I'll go visit my other friend then. Thank you. And get better soon Shard." Lloyd replied to both.

"Hey Zane, where are the others?"

"I thought they got you before they left." Zane answered.

"I was in Shard's room."

"I heard he was in the ICU. Why?" Zane asked with an out of character expression. Lloyd got nervous.

"The nurse said he's in a temporary coma."

"Oh. I'm guessing it was caused by lack of oxygen to the brain from when he was drowning in the trailer. It makes sense. I just hope I got there in time." Zane said mostly to himself.

"Visiting hours are almost up. I'll have to leave soon." Lloyd mumbled sadly.

"Why are you here? Don't you have your family or somewhere else to go besides being here at the hospital?"

"My parents aren't home."

"Mister, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." A nurse said.

"Goodnight Zane."

"Goodnight Lloyd."


	7. Never Trust A Snake

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 7: Never Trust A Snake

Lloyd left the hospital and wondered if the others remembered him afterwards. _Probably not, I am new after all. I should've known that you can't make friends that fast .I probably was a tag-a-long from the start._ Ninjago City at night was a dangerous place. The blonde teen wandered down, not knowing where he was even going. He'd never been in the city-city, just the outskirts where his foster parents lived.

"Excuse me ma'am, but how do I get to Dragon Avenue?"

"Beat it brat!" She snarled and Lloyd backed away. He recognized one of the seniors from school with a group of boys that included Acidicus. He hurried over there. If he could find the school then he could find his home.

"Excuse me, you go to Ninjago City High, right?" Lloyd asked. The tall teen turned around.

"Yes. And I, humbly am Pythor P. Chumsworth. How may I help you?" He asked slyly.

"What's the safest way to get to school from here? I'm lost."

"We live near Dragon Avenue. Want to hang with us until we head back?" A…junior maybe…asked him. He was wearing a scaly blue outfit and his eyes were red for the whites and black for the irises.

Lloyd thought it over. Either he could wander lost in a dangerous city at night or he could hang with these guys for a couple of hours and they'd help him home. It sounded a lot like a trap but, they did go to his school. He didn't know if he could trust them. Since it was his only safe option he went with it.

"Okay, but if anything bad happens, I'm leaving."

"Excellent! We were just going to the arcade. And then the candy shop." Acidicus said.

"Candy?" Lloyd asked. He'd never heard of Candy before.

"You don't know what candy is? Pythor, we've got to help this boy!" A senior boy in all black exclaimed.

"I agree." Acidicus added.

"It sounds more like a date than a group gathering." Lloyd muttered.

"What was that boy?" Pythor asked.

"Nothing."

So he followed the group to the arcade and it turned out to be a lot of fun. Somehow the older kids-The Serpentine they were called apparently- won a _ton _of prize tickets. Lloyd had barely won enough for a little sticker. On the way to the candy shop, Lloyd caught a glimpse of a monastery up on a hill.

"What is that place?"

"That Monastery? It's where old people go to train for a battle that will never come. They believe these people called the Stone Army will reanimate and attack the city." Pythor explained.

"Hey kid," Fangtom began.

"If you stay in our good graces,"

"Maybe you could participate in the initiation."

"That is a great idea, Fangtom." Pythor grinned. After all, it would benefit the Serpentine to have more members. Making him a snake wouldn't be hard either thanks to the Fangpyre's improved abilities. Another benefit would be to tell the coach that they succeeded in fulfilling all his orders.

"This, Lloyd, is a candy store." Skalidor introduced. The blonde's jaw dropped. Nothing in his life had ever looked this good.

"Where have you been all my life?" He whispered.

"This boy is in our hands now. Just wait. I'll sneak something into the candy and he won't remember anything that happened and we can tamper with his memories. We can even use Skales hypnosis ability if we need to." Pythor explained to the other tribe leaders.

Lloyd was looking at all the candy. He didn't know what kind to get and if he'd even like it. There was a sign hanging up that read _Mix and Match: Only 60 cents an ounce! _So that's what he did and he didn't be piggy. After all, this was a whole new concept. He paid for his candy with the others.

"Let's go down to the pier. I here there's going to be a meteor shower." Fangtom suggested.

"Meteor shower?" Lloyd felt dumb. And he was in high school!

"You'll see kid." Spitta-as Lloyd learned- replied.

"Pythor, it is almost midnight. We don't want to reveal our secret to the boy." Skales whispered to the Anacondrai.

"You're right. I do say we must get getting. After all, we _all _have school tomorrow." Pythor announced to the group. Lloyd had yet to touch the candy and at the checkout he had Mezmo slip a little extra…flavoring into it.

"Is that candy good, Lloyd?" He asked as a reminder.

"Oh, right. I forgot about it."

Lloyd tried a piece of candy fruit. _I LOVE CANDY! _He began eating on more like the other Serpentine. When he was done, Lloyd felt woozy. He figured he ate it too fast. Then the world was spinning before it all stopped and went in fast forward.

"His eyes are dilated. The drugs are kicking in." Skalidor said right as the clock ticked midnight. They had gone to the sewers with Lloyd who was not himself wouldn't remember them molting out of human skeletons and skins into their true selves. _Snakes._

Pythor was a long purple snake. He resembled that of a python or anaconda as far as his scale patterns went. His once black hair was now jet black scales on the top of his head. His normal purple eyes were larger and venomous. He seemed cunning, smart, and sly. He obviously carried great power.

Skales and the other Hypnobrai were blue scaled with white accents. Their dark brown hair had vanished completely. Their eyes became large and red with a…seductiveness to them. If you caught them for a moment then you'd be willing to cave to their demands.

Skalidor, Acidicus, and Fangtom were the same. They became their reptilian forms and their tribes as well. Blondes, brunettes, and redheads were becoming scaly snakes. When dawn approaches they will molt back into their human forms. A gift passed down from their ancestors from The Great Devourer.

"The time to start forging new memories and tampering with old ones is almost upon us. It will take the whole night but the benefits will be worthwhile." Pythor explained to the Generals while their followers went out into the night to cause chaos or get supplies.

"What will we begin with, Pythor?" Fangtom asked.

"The beginning of course. The drugs I sneaked in will manipulate his brain. We cannot erase memories but by using characters and words that he knows, we can create false ones or take ones he recalls and alter."

"Who will go first?" Skalidor asked.

"I will." Skales stated. He looked towards Pythor for approval.

"The time is, now."

Lloyd was officially out of this world. It was as though he was dreaming while awake. And so he dreamed with the storyline of his dreams the past two nights. He was oblivious to the fact that he was surrounded by psycho snakes.

"You are Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon. You are the son of Coach Garmadon. You want to be evil like him and the Serpentine are your best friends. You are pretending to be a part of the group with Rocky and Cole but, really you are there as a spy for the Serpentine." Skales began.

"Garmadon, Rocky, Cole, Serpentine." Lloyd muttered as he swayed slightly.

"Earlier today, one of your so called friends was injured and the other had died. At the hospital you were left behind by the group. You had a fight with them and you feel betrayed, abandoned, and alone. Then you came back to us." Skalidor added.

"Injured, dead, fight, alone."

"Your father, Coach Garmadon, wants to shut down the school and destroy that group. It is your mission to make sure that the group never catches onto the plan." Acidicus spoke.

"Father, school, mission."

They went on for several more hours with more creating and altering Lloyd's memories. Sure it was a cruel thing but the benefits were worthwhile. Revenge is like wildfire, only in preparation and the firefighters can anything good come out of it. The trees may have seeds that can only grow because of fire. The firefighters may be able to stop the fire in time before it destroys too much. Lives may be lost and even some changed all together but, it all started from a vengeful spark.

"It's dawn Pythor. We should be changing back soon." Skales informed.

"And the drugs will start wearing off. Come on boys, let's get this kid back to his house. We do have school tomorrow." Pythor ordered. Already some of his serpent brothers were molting.


	8. Ricochet

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 8: Ricochet

It was lunch time the day after. Tomorrow would be the weekend and all the children were happy because this had been a long week. They were merrily chatting to their friends at the lunch tables.

"Have any of you seen Lloyd?" Cole asked, recognizing the fact that he hadn't seen the new kid all day.

"We must have left him in Shard's room by accident. I hope he isn't mad at us. What if he's hurt or-" Jay began.

"Jay, calm down." Kai said seriously.

"If he's never been to Ninjago City he might have gotten lost. Lost plus night equals disaster!" Jay continued.

"You say anything else and I might have to make sure your parents take away your video games." Kai warned.

"Well, aren't you worried Kai?" Flame asked.

"I am but I don't see the point in wallowing in it or panicking. Did anyone happen to get his phone number yesterday?"

They all looked embarrassed.

"I take it nobody did. Well, I didn't either but, at least I thought about it."

"Maybe he's still at the hospital?" Wisp suggested.

"No, when visiting hours expire he would have to have left." Rocky answered.

A group of three older teens approached the group. One was in purple, another in blue, and Siamese twins in red.

"Are you wondering where your friend is?" The oldest asked.

"What do you know?" Flame asked calmly. Kai glared at the three.

"We'd just like you to know that we safely returned him home after you guys ditched him. He's not very happy with you all. In fact, he was thinking of joining our gang." The one in blue stated.

"Like Lloyd would join your gang. Please, Pythor, I know you and Skales. You're only messing with us because we replaced you on the football team." Cole said cooly.

"I wouldn't be so naïve Cole Lou. Just because you and your dirty friend got their positions on the team doesn't mean that something could happen to both of you." The twins hissed. Cole knew them as Fangtom-a ridiculous name if you asked him.

"Is that a threat?" Rocky asked standing up to meet him eye to eye.

"So what if it is?"

"You wouldn't risk getting in a fight."

"You'd lose your spot on the team." The twins said one after the other.

"So, what'd you do to Lloyd?" Kai asked through gritted teeth. He too stood up but to face Pythor instead. Several students were watching from their seats.

"Nothing serious. You'll still recognize him. His looks at least." Pythor answered before him and his two accomplices exited the cafeteria.

"I hate the Serpentine." Cole growled after sitting back down.

"I know." Jay agreed before making a face at the mashed potatoes that looked like they'd been bled on.

"And I hate cafeteria food." Wisp stated before going to throw the tray away, nothing had been eaten anyway.

"Who doesn't?" Kai asked before seeing Cole and Rocky throwing away empty plates. The four looked disgust.

"Tasty or not, we need food for our football game this afternoon." Rocky explained.

"Sometimes the barf tastes better."

"Eww! Rocky!" The five whined.

"What? It's true!" He protested.

"We've got to head to class. I wish that flood had never happened." Flame stated simply before throwing his tray away and heading off to class.

"We live near Lloyd and we know where he lives. We could go by his house after school to see if he's there or not." Wisp offered. Jay nodded before they continued to their class.

_**Linebreak**_

"Whose bus hit me?" Lloyd mumbled. His head was aching and he noticed he was propped up on the brick wall outside of his house but out of sight of his parents.

"It's day time? Aww man, I've been out all night _and _day. I missed school!" He complained before struggling to stand up.

"I can't move." He whispered. Lloyd's head throbbed uncontrollably. Memories flashed through his eyes.

"I feel like two people. Something happened to me last night. I know it."

Lloyd just realized that his clothes were too big. He began to feel his limbs once more and he staggered up. His parents car wasn't home and so he went inside to look in the mirror. Everything felt bigger, looked bigger. It wasn't until he saw his reflection that he registered the truth.

"I'm a kid!" He gasped.

Lloyd hurried up the stairs to his room to look at the mirror up there. Nothing had changed. He turned around but tripped over his baggy clothes. The clock was staring him in the face. _3:25, schools getting out._

_**Linebreak**_

"Lord Garmadon, we successfully completed the mission." Pythor reported with school being out. The coach was preparing for the football game tonight.

"What did you do?"

"We got the drugs from Mr. Overlord like you told us to and we found the sophomore had been abandoned by his friends. We took him to get some candy and put the drugs in the candy. Then once he was drugged out we took him to our tombs and began altering his memories. If there's any defiance I'll use my powers on him." Skales explained.

"Was the one boy successfully killed?" Garmadon asked.

"Yes, he drowned and his friend was placed in the hospital." Skalidor replied.

"Perfect. All is going accordingly. I knew I could trust you. You can return to…wherever you go."

_**Linebreak**_

Jay and Wisp got off the bus and ran towards Lloyd's house. They knocked on the door but nobody answered. So Wisp picked the lock and they went inside.

"Lloyd? Are you here?" Jay called. Nobody answered.

"I know how to find him. Jay, tell a joke." Wisp instructed.

"How does a music teacher brush their teeth?" Jay asked loudly.

"With a _tuba _toothpaste!"

Jay, Wisp, and a younger voice all laughed. The duo quickly hurried towards the third bit of laughter. When they found the source they gasped.

"Lloyd! You're….small!"

"I know! I was drugged last night and when I woke up, kaboomie! I was like this!" He exclaimed.

"Who were you drugged by?"

"The Serpentine!"

"Those ratbags!" Wisp exclaimed.

"Candy…." Lloyd muttered.

The normal blonde was now about half his age. His hairdo was different and he was so…dainty.

"Why did you go with the Serpentine? They're nothing but trouble!" Jay asked panicked.

"I had no choice. When you guys left me behind I was forced to go home by myself. I ran into people from school-The Serpentine- and they promised to get me there. We went to the arcade and a candy store and then I don't remember what happened!" Lloyd explained. He knew one thing for sure….he wanted more candy.

"Aww man…this stinks. How are we going to explain this to our teachers? Yeah, Lloyd was drugged by the Serpentine and then he woke up as a toddler!"

"Jay, calm down. Our teachers are reasonable." Wisp said calmly.

"Do you think anyone will believe that a teenager could be turned back into a child?" Lloyd pouted.

"We can ask Misako or Professor Wu. They know a lot." Jay suggested.

"Fine, but we can't miss Cole and Rocky's game either. We need to get to school fast. And Lloyd,"

"Put on some smaller clothes." Wisp directed.

In a matter of minutes they were running to Wisp's house to borrow the car. Wisp drove to the football field where all the teachers would be to support the team. There they could find Misako and Professor Wu and maybe the answers they seek.

"Why is there no parking? There is_ supposed_ to be parking!" Wisp complained.

"I'm a kid and you're complaining about parking?" Lloyd asked annoyed.

When they finally found a spot they hurried towards the bleachers. They always used the college football field for their games since there was no other field in the city. The three made their way through searching for the teachers stand.

"I found them!" Lloyd exclaimed before pointing to the teachers they needed.

"Good!"

With Lloyd behind them to keep from getting trampled the two teens made their way through the crowd. _This school needs less students. Can't a meteor hit them or something?_ Jay thought as he shoved past people.

"Professor Wu? Misako, we have a problem." Wisp announced over the crowd. Luckily, both teachers were sitting together.

"What is it and why is your younger brother here?" Misako asked kindly.

"He's not our younger brother. This is Lloyd Montgomery." Jay said.

_Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon. _Lloyd heard those words be whispered to him. He didn't know the voice but it was trying to corrupt him.

"That can't be. Lloyd is your age." Professor Wu said before he and Misako glanced at each other.

"I don't know if you'll believe this or not but Lloyd was drugged by a gang called the Serpentine and whatever they gave him made him a kid again." Jay explained with a worried expression.

"Wu…"Misako mumbled.

"I know." He replied.

"Boys, do you know when Zane will be out of the hospital?" Wu asked.

"Whenever his test results come back in." Wisp replied.

"When he's out, bring your other friends with Lloyd. We have a serious discussion ahead of us. I will speak with the other teachers about Mr. Montgomery's problem but he will remain at this school. If what you say is true then we have a serious situation on our hands." Misako commanded.

"Thank you."

"Now you can go meet with your friends." Wu told them and the three left.

"The prophecy is becoming a reality." Misako said to Wu.

"I know. I just hope that we can stop it in time." Professor Wu replied before cheering for Rocky's touchdown.


	9. Sensei Wu

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 9: Sensei Wu

Zane was finally out of the hospital after it was established that nothing was wrong with him. Shard still hadn't woken up from his coma and Zane was going to visit him every afternoon. However, today he couldn't because they had their meeting with Professor Wu.

Since Lloyd became a little kid again he had been acting strangely. At some moments he would turn on the group completely. However he fought to remain in control. Sometimes the resistance would be overwhelming and it was if he was evil.

"I swear, it isn't me. I would never turn on my friends." Lloyd assured them for the millionth time.

"We know Lloyd. It was the Serpentine who did this to you and they're probably the ones who are doing that too." Cole replied as they got out of Rocky's RV. It was Saturday morning and they were meeting the Professor at some old peoples place.

"A Monastery? He expects us to have a meeting in a place of peace?" Kai asked.

"I sense that this place may have some quality to it that will keep out the Serpentines influence." Zane piped up. He was wearing pink instead of white because somebody pranked him.

"Hey kids, could you move your RV over a little bit. I've got to park my bike to deliver this mail." The mailman said.

"We can take it for you. We're going up there anyway." Rocky offered before scooting the RV over.

"No, it's my job as a postal worker to make sure all mail reaches it's appropriate owner. I can't have any kids messing up my work. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a job to attend to." And with that the mailman began racing up the Mountain of Impossible Height.

"Man, we'll never get up this thing in time. It's too high up!" Jay complained but Cole and Rocky were getting something out of the overhead compartments.

"Walking maybe. But we have climbing gear." Cole said before handing to each of his companions.

"We can take one each. You'll have to stay on our back though." Rocky said.

Cole with Zane on his back and Rocky with Lloyd began climbing up the mountain side with no ropes or anything.

"Am I too heavy?" Zane asked.

"Nope, light as a feather pinkie." Cole replied before leaping up to another rock.

Jay, Wisp, Kai, and Flame were steadily making their way up the mountain. When they passed the mailman, Flame kicked some rocks down at him. The result was that the mailman yelled at them.

"That guy had it comin to him." Flame said in his defense.

"I wonder why….Zane's clothing is pink." Rocky said to Lloyd. The young boy was clinging to Rocky for dear life and had his face buried in the tan teens shoulder blade.

"It was me." Lloyd whispered with a quick shriek.

"Your dark side?" Rocky asked and he could feel the boy nod.

"It's getting stronger the more I fight it. It's like a battery, the more it's on the more power multiplies." Lloyd explained before Rocky reached the top.

"Air Rocky has now landed. We ask that passengers exit without damaging the aircraft. I hope you had a wonderful flight."

Lloyd looked green and sickly when he hit the ground. He crawled over to the ledge and threw up.

"Well, it was faster than ropes." Rocky mumbled before hearing the kid upchuck again.

"Ew! Is that puke?" Jay asked while trying to maneuver out of the way.

"HEY! WATCH IT!" Kai shouted and shook his fist. They were only two thirds of a way up. The mailman was still climbing up around the one third portion on stairs.

Zane and Cole went inside the Monastery while waiting for the others. On the mountain, Wisp was leading, followed by Jay, Flame, and Kai. Lloyd was getting over his temporary sickness and Rocky was waiting for the kid.

_**Linebreak**_

"This poor boy. His parents haven't even visited him once or asked about him. And with his coma we don't even know if he'll survive to see the next day." The doctor mumbled to the nurse.

"I know. If he were my child I would be right beside him night and day." The nurse replied.

"He's quite a peculiar boy. He's albino yes but he also different. When I reviewed his records it said that he was mute and yet he was able to form words but the voice would not be heard. He could speak full sentences without sound."

"Doctor Tudabone, what are you suggesting?" Nurse Flowers asked.

"That if this boy dies then we may lose out on publishing a medical journal."

"Oh Brad."

"Nurse Flowers."

_**Linebreak**_

"Now that you are all here we have important matters to discuss. As each of you know, the teachers at this school all seem to have a secret. My father-Professor Garmadon- my brother-Coach Garmadon- and I may seem strange to you. Especially my brother. Our family has a complicated past that will take too long to tell right now but you will hear of it overtime." Professor Wu began before taking a drink of tea from a blue teapot.

"Professor, where are you going with this?" Zane asked.

"You each are special in different ways. Until those ways begin to blossom I cannot teach you all I want to. This is quite perplexing because you need to know but you are ill prepared. I will confess one thing: I am not a professor. I am a sensei."

"Sensei Wu does have a nicer ring to it." Cole remarked.

"My father does not teach at the school. That is just a hologram of him in a sense. My father has long passed this world. Anyway, he was the creator of Ninjago. This tale may seem to have holes in it and may not make much sense but it is the truth full heartedly.

"_Long before time had a name, Ninjago was created by the First Spinjitzu Master using the four weapons of Spinjitzu: The Scythe of Quakes, the Nunchucks of Lightning, the Shurikens of Ice, and the Sword of Fire. Weapons so powerful, no one can handle all their power at once. When he passed away, his two sons swore to protect them. But the oldest was consumed by __darkness__, and wanted to possess the weapons. A battle between brothers broke out, and the oldest was struck down and banished to the underworld. Peace returned, and the younger brother hid the weapons. But knowing his older brother's relentless ambition for power, he placed a guardian to protect them. And for fear of his own demise, a map for an honest man to hide._

"Shard, Flame, Rocky, and Wisp are the guardians of the weapons. You do not know this but you have the ability to transform into dragons. The Serpentine gang has the ability to transform into snakes and they received that from their ancestor the Great Devourer." Professor Wu explained with the occasional gap for tea.

"Dragons? Aww…." Cole sighed. There was only one thing he was afraid of and that was dragons.

"So, you hid the weapons?" Kai asked.

"Yes, for I am the younger brother. Coach Garmadon holds evil powers and dark intentions. It is not his fault however, for he was bit by the ancestor of the Serpentine-The Great Devourer. The snake's venom changed my brother from my best friend to my enemy."

"What is our place in the story, Professor?" Jay wondered aloud.

"I cannot tell you for it will force you to be someone you are not. Think of it as a spoiler alert. If you tell them then the discovery fades and the emotion behind it is destroyed."

"I understand." Zane spoke.

"Well I don't." Wisp replied before eye-browing the bearded man.

"He cannot tell us because it may influence us to become someone we are not prepared to be yet." Zane explained and the bearded man nodded.

"Oh."

"So, we're half dragons and they're something we can't know? Then why meet with all of us?" Rocky asked.

"I knew one would not come without the other. You are yin and yang. Dark and light. Dragon and unknown entity."

"There are so many questions I wish to ask. Yet, I knew that some will need to wait and others will be answered in time." Zane stated.

"I will answer one question each." Professor Wu replied. The eight boys thought about what to ask.

"Why are we at a Monastery?" Kai asked.

"It is a place of training. If you want to learn to manifest your abilities, this is where to start. Which reminds me, you are to meet me here afterschool. And yes, Cole and Rocky after football you are to come. Make sure your group comes with you. I want to train you all at the same time."

"Why can we turn into dragons?" Rocky asked slowly.

"Excellent question. I do not have an answer though. Some things do not however."

"Then how do we know you aren't some crazy guy who's making this all up?" Flame inquired before crossing his arms. He and Kai didn't look to be impressed.

"Hmph, I still don't know about you two. Maybe the prophecies were wrong." Professor Wu mumbled.

"What prophecies?" Jay used his question.

"The ones my father made. You should pay attention in history. Another reminder, your classes will be adjusted now. Things will be more complicated from now on. "

"Does changing into a dragon hurt?" Lloyd asked. He wanted to know if he was missing out or not.

"At first since you are not adjusted to the changes. It will become second nature the more you morph into it."

"Why us?" Wisp asked solemnly.

"Another thing that I do not know. I just know that each of you hold the elemental properties. Dragons as well. Flame is red because of his alignment with fire. You, Zane along with Shard noticed a tolerance to ice. That is your element. Rocky and Cole noticed an attachment to the earth and that is their element."

"Then what's Jay's element?" Zane inquired.

"Lightning. You too Wisp."

"Cole, do you have a question?" The professor asked.

"No sir."

"Then you are all free to go."


	10. Pieces of a Puzzle

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 10: Pieces of a Puzzle

_Senior Year_

After training with Sensei Wu for two years, it was now becoming their senior year at Ninjago City High school. The Serpentine and Coach Garmadon had been causing accidents in which students were injured. Shard was still in his coma and Zane had been visiting every afternoon as well as the others when they got the chance. Something strange was wrong with Lloyd, he hadn't aged at all. He just….went dark.

Kai, Flame, and Nya worked at their fathers shop Four Weapons afterschool. The Samurai Games had been canceled the past two years due to it being sabotaged. Now extra precautions had been taken so that no accidents would occur. Kai and Flame had been training and they knew that they'd win for sure.

Wisp had been trying to get Jay to ask Nya out but the brunette would always chicken out. He couldn't talk to Nya at all. Wisp tried getting him to write a note since he couldn't speak but it wouldn't work. So the nineteen year old vowed to get the two together. He couldn't just let his soon-to-be- nineteen year old friend wallow in self-pity.

Cole and Rocky were offered football scholarships which they denied. They were too caught up in training to go to college. It wasn't the wisest move but there's no time like the present. The two got asked out by girls but they weren't interested in dating. Rocky wanted to unlock his dragon shape-shifting and Cole wanted to find out what he was since Sensei hadn't revealed the secret in the two years they trained.

Zane had graduated a year early and as valedictorian. During his senior year he won the science fair with Falcon. It was a mechanical bird that Zane could see through its eyes if he wore a certain pair of glasses his father built. Whenever the Falcon took flight a violin recording would play that the student Michael Kramer wrote and people called it Falcon Chase. Zane was just sad because Shard couldn't be there with him. He missed his best friend. Not even the fangirl cards he received in his locker could make him feel better.

They had an assembly today for all seniors. Zane had mentioned it was an assembly that talked about future plans. The worst part was the spokesperson was annoying. It was Gayle Gossip and she rambled on and on. All the teachers rambled on and on. But it was when Coach Garmadon's turn to speak all the lights in the gym went out. When the speeches ended the students were dismissed.

"That was the most boring thing ever! And it was only our first day!" Jay complained. School was getting out and The Serpentine gang was hanging out near the school. Lloyd was with them.

"I can't believe he's on their side. Those snakes drive me nuts! They've messed with our school and then they messed with our friend." Cole growled while they headed towards the RV.

"Keep in mind that they manipulated Lloyd into joining their side along with making him weaker by changing him into a child. We need to review our evidence we collected Junior year." Zane said from the back seat.

"All we got from there was Lloyd ate candy, passed out, and woke up at his house as a kid." Kai responded.

"But what about the time in between passing out and waking up? That was several hours." Wisp added.

"If only we had security footage or some kind of proof of where they had been. We should've asked Lloyd when we had the chance." Cole sighed.

"Maybe we could kidnap one of the Serpentine seniors? They might have witnessed that night." Zane suggested.

"That is a great idea!" Jay exclaimed.

"We should do it during the next football game when everyone is distracted. We kidnap em, take em to the locker room and interrogate." Flame said while punching one hand into his palm.

"Good plan." Rocky replied before they came to a red light.

"We haven't accomplished anything in training. What is Sensei Wu _is _the crazy guy we thought him to be two years ago?" Kai wondered.

"Let's agree to something, if we don't have any improvement by the end of the week then we don't go back again." Kai replied. The others nodded or said their agreements.

Another training session over. The boys were sore or tired-excluding the athletes of course. As Rocky was driving them back to their homes he was heading to drop Zane back off at the hospital. Shard remained neutral, neither improving nor getting worst. The teens just knew that if he didn't wake soon that he may have to be let go.

"Hey Zane, it looks like another storm is coming in. Do you want me to pick you up when visiting hours are over?" Rocky asked as his buddy was getting off.

"Yes please, thank you." Zane replied before hurrying to his friends room.

The ICU was always a sad place to visit. Since Shard was still seventeen he was in the adolescent ward. Once his birthday arrived he would be moved to the adult ward. Then Ninjago City has their limit to how long they can keep a coma patient. For a minor injury like Shard the capacity is three years. For a serious injury it could be indefinite.

When he turns eighteen his parents order to have him disowned would be fulfilled. Dr. Julien was interested in adopting him and always had been except that the legal parents didn't want to look bad with their friends and dumping off their kid was bad in books. However the adoption wouldn't mean anything if Shard was to be let go.

"Look my friend, it's been two years. I don't know what is happening inside your head but, please wake up soon." Zane asked for what seemed the millionth time. He noticed how he was tired from the training. Usually he wouldn't be so exhausted but Zane found himself slowly drifting off to the sound of the heart monitor and other gadgets monitoring Shard.

_Four suits. Wait, no, five suits. All different colors. Zane saw golden in his peripheral vision. He turned to see four weapons across from four of the suits. The Golden Weapons that Sensei Wu had mentioned! For some reason, the Shurikens of Ice called out to him and when Zane touched them, they felt like an extension of him. The white suit came to life and draped him in its color._

_Three others emerged from the black void. Their corresponding suit and weapon came to them. The four were left standing in their ninja suits with their weapons in their hands._

_Zane recognized each of them by their eyebrows. The blue ninja holding the Nunchuks of Lightning was Jay because of the cut through his right eyebrow. The red ninja holding the Sword of Fire was Kai since he had the dent in his right eyebrow. The black ninja wielding the Scythe of Quakes was Cole because of his bushy black eyebrows. That left the green suit that lie blandly on the ground._

_Then four emerged from the shadows just like the three did. They were Rocky, Shard, Wisp, and Flame. All of them seemed oblivious to their surroundings. It was like they were puppets and Zane was the only one free of the control._

_A low growl emanated from the four's mouth. They began changing and it seemed to be painful. Wings sprouted from their backs. Instead of perfect teeth they had jagged fangs and were growing snouts. Fingernails grew into claws. The entire skeleton was morphing into a beast. Zane knew which beast: dragons._

Zane woke up and found that two hours had passed. For a short dream he wouldn't have imagined that it took such a long amount of time. He wondered what Shard was dreaming. Being asleep for that long you have to dream of something, right? Maybe it was dancing chipmunks or alien vegetables but you can't just see blackness for two years and not recognize that you're trapped there.

"Z-zane?" The word barely escaped at a hard to hear tone.

"Shard?" Zane asked excitedly.

"Z-zane? You're really….here?" The albino boy asked. His eyes were still closed and rating normal.

"Yes my friend."

A low growl was heard. Shard's heart rate increased as well as his other stats. Skin was trading to scales and teeth into fangs. Then his heart rate shot back down and all was normal. It repeated this two times before Shard was normal.

"I had a dream….I was flying. I was big, like a dinosaur. You were a ninja." He whispered so he didn't shatter anything.

"I am glad you are awake. I know this is early but, you can turn into a dragon."

"Awesome." Shard grinned and opened his pale blue eyes.

The two spent the rest of the time talking. When visiting hours were over, Zane said his goodbye and went to meet Rocky at the RV. A storm indeed was setting in but with Shard back, the group was almost whole again. Maybe with all of them there training would be easier. Yet, Zane's mind strayed to his dream. Would it really become a reality? And were they really destined to become ninja? He couldn't wait to see what the future held.


	11. Sleep With One Eye Open

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 11: Sleep With One Eye Open

"Today marks a week guys. None of us has shown signs of improvement. I say we throw in the towel." Kai grumbled on the ride back. He actually threw his red sweat rag on the counter and leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed. His maroon shirt was drenched in sweat as well as his dark gray sweatpants.

"Shard did." Zane said quietly. Jay and Wisp heard him however.

"Is there a secret you've been keeping Zane?" Jay asked. All eyes were on Zane now.

"Shard woke up from the coma on Monday. When he did he partially changed but hasn't since." Zane admitted. He didn't like keeping secrets from friends but he was searching for the right moment to tell them. Then again he wasn't getting anywhere with Professor Wu's training and now his spirit was breaking. He at least thought they would've gotten somewhere by now.

"How come he could change and we can't?" Flame groaned. His red hair was dripping sweat down onto the floor and a puddle was gathering.

"That I don't know. And I also had a dream about this whole thing. But I've forgotten it." Zane mumbled putting his head in his hands.

"I give up too. As much as I don't want to, we're getting nowhere and I'm tired of being well, tired." Jay said. He was still his cheery self and always cracking jokes but he couldn't think of any to boost the morale right now.

"Wait, is that the Serpentine? Rocky, turn down that alley." Cole instructed and the RV made an unexpected swerve.

"Ahh!" The boys in the back exclaimed as they were shoved by force into the nearest object.

"I heard about this guy who was on a tour bus that crashed and rolled while he was in the bathroom. He said he peed his pants and gave himself a swirly at the same time." Jay said and laughter echoed.

The RV parked and the boys sneakily got out. The next football game would be Tuesday afternoon, four days from now. Now was an excellent time to spy. The only bad part was Lloyd was with the group again. The Senior was with all the graduates, seniors, juniors, sophomores, and freshman that had been recruited into the gang. Pythor and Skales were graduates and the leaders of the gang from previous intel.

"None of our accidents have caused injury to the group. We need to think of a better trap. A way to destroy that group. Obviously killing the Shard boy two years ago and brainwashing their new member wasn't enough." Skales addressed the members.

"How about we unleash The Great Devourer?" Acidicus suggested from his place at the hangout. They were at Darkley's and at the outside tables.

"Our ancestral snake? We don't even know how to do that!" Slitheraa-the official leader of the Hypnobrai- replied.

"Which is why Skales is promoted as leader of the Hypnobrai." Pythor hissed. His towering height felt threatening to Slitheraa. The Hypnobrai general wasn't going to give up his position so easy.

"And what if I say no?" He asked decreasing his distance to the Anacondrai general.

"Then I challenge you to a duel. The winner gets to be general."

"It's on peon." Slitheraa spat.

"We'll see who the peon is when they get their tail kicked in the Slither Pit." Skales retorted.

"My bet's on Slitheraa." Lloyd muttered to Spitta.

"Well then I bet Skales is going to win."

"Five bucks?" Lloyd suggested for the bet.

"Deal." Spitta replied and they shook on it.

"The nerve of these guys. First they brainwash our friend and then the make bets he's obviously going to lose." Jay muttered. Footsteps were drawing near the teens and so they hid. A Venomari scout with one eye peered the two directions before shrugging and going back to his tribe.

"Let's get outta here before they find us." Cole suggested and they hurried back to the RV to leave.

"We've got one stop to make before heading home. I've gotta refill the gas tank on this joker." Rocky announced after a short drive. He looked back to find everyone but Zane playing rock-paper-clamp. Zane was sitting in the lotus position and meditating.

"Rocky! Road!" Cole half-shouted to the distracted tanned teen.

He turned back to see he was too late to stop himself from running the red light. There were oncoming cars and he was honked at. Rocky tried maneuvering the RV in some way not to be hit. It was a four way intersection and a pretty large one to add to it. However, fate was not kind, they were hit from two sides by three cars.


	12. Intended Accident

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 12: Intended Accident

_"There's been an accident on Hageman Avenue."_

_ "Now we add the corn."_

_ "-partly clouded with a chance of-"_

_ "Several teenage boys were in the accident-"_

_ "Stir and cook until boiling."_

_ "And back to you Shamus."_

Shard was flipping through the TV channels in his hospital bed. He'd been moved to the head injury floor since he'd woken up. Now he was going through mental therapy to help him make a full recovery. With him being mute to others he couldn't tell them that he felt fine and there was no paper or pencils to write them a note. A specific channel caught his attention.

_That looks like Rocky's RV .I'll keep watching. I hope it's not them. Please let it not be them. Please let it not be them. They're fine Shard, that's just some drunk camper who couldn't drive._

_**Linebreak**_

"Is everyone alright?" Cole asked. He'd been thrown to the back of the RV and had slight bleeding on the back of his head.

"I am." Kai replied while helping Flame up. They'd hit the couch and seemed fine.

Cole helped Jay and Wisp up. Jay was thrown into the bathroom door and was just dizzy. Wisp was underneath the table and clinging onto it for dear life. Zane was buckled in his seat but when the second vehicle hit the back of his head slammed into the glass but didn't leave a scratch.

"I shoulda brought an extra pair of underwear." Jay sighed before lowering his head sadly.

"Just dandy." Zane replied to Cole's question.

"What about Rocky?" Wisp questioned. They all hurried to the front.

"Rocky. Wake up man." Cole said while shaking him.

Rocky however had banged his face on the steering wheel. He had a nosebleed and it knocked him out. The third car had done the worst damage to the RV and threw them all the most.

"I'll get the first aid kit." Zane announced before going to dig through the shifted supplies.

"Rocky, wake up." Cole repeated. The steering wheel really had the teen out.

"Aww great, they got the TV crew out here." Jay muttered before closing the window blinds.

"Rocky's parents are going to kill him for this."

"At least no one was severely injured." Wisp stated.

"Is everyone okay?" Rocky asked waking up.

"Uh huh. You sir, stink as a driver." Cole joked giving a small punch to his buddy's arm.

"I'm sorry guys. I wonder why the airbags didn't go off though."

"Can we get ice cream?" Wisp asked. Glares were shot his way.

"What? You said something about rocky road."

"Look, we've got to wait for the police, make sure other drivers are okay, call my parents to tell them about this, and aww man…. I'm going to be grounded for life." Rocky whined before he used the first aid supplies to stop the nosebleed. Once that was done he hurried out to check on the damage and other drivers.

"Everyone's okay but their cars not. Also, don't talk to the old lady. She's got sailor language."

"You did probably total her car." Kai responded grumpily. This was not on his to-do list for today.

"She was the second to hit us." He muttered.

"Whatever fines you may get or to help pay for repairs or a new RV we'll chip in." Zane offered.

"What?" Flame asked but Wisp elbowed him.

"Oh yeah. We _were_ half responsible for the accident."

"After this, we'll go get ice cream." Rocky replied and Jay and Wisp cheered.

_**Linebreak**_

"Did you set the traffic lights up for the accident?" Skalidor asked his scout Snike.

"Yes and I watched the accident take place."

"What was the damage?"

"Three cars hit the RV but the others stopped themselves in time. No fatalities sadly."

"As for the group?"

"Minor injuries. However they won't be going anywhere anytime soon with the damage to the RV."

"Did you sabotage the vehicle?"

"Yes, I pulled out the spark plugs and punctured a hole in the gas tank. We're ready for part two." Snike said and Skalidor messaged the Venomari on his walkie talkie.

"Light it up."

_**Linebreak**_

_That's them alright. But who is that blonde person sneaking their way towards the accident? Come on people, look, he's right there!_

"Hello Shard, are you doing alright? Feeling any pain?" Dr. Tudabone asked. Shard shook his head.

"Your stats are a little high. I was just making sure."

Shard looked at his sign language card and tried to sign, _I'm doing fine. _Apparently the message was well received. When the doctor left, Shard turned his attention back to his friends on the screen.

_What is that person doing? Is he trying to break into the RV? No, he's climbing under the bus. What in the world?_

_ Beep beep beep!_

Shard's heart rate was above normal. The RV, was being set on _fire. _His friends were still inside. The cars at the four way had been redirected while the cleanup crew was being dispatched. Yet nobody noticed that the person was trying to cook his friends. He knew that if he didn't calm himself that the doctor would scold him for lying.

"Deep breaths Shard. Oh, don't talk. Deep breaths and don't talk."

_**Linebreak**_

"When are the cops gonna come? I just want to get scolded for bad driving, get ice cream, and go home to get the punishment of a lifetime." Rocky complained.

"They'll be here when they get here. As Sensei has told us many times before: patience." Wisp replied.

"I highly doubt the word of Sensei is the right thing to say right now." Kai responded.

Lloyd crawled under the RV with a lighter. As Skales had said, there was gasoline all over the ground and more pouring down. It smelt really bad under the vehicle. Pieces of glass littered the ground and Lloyd was cut in several places. What bites is that the gasoline he was crawling in was seeping into the cuts and burning. However the real burning was yet to come.

Lloyd smiled as he reached the place Pythor directed him to via Bluetooth. He lifted the lighter and then let the flames begin. The bottom of the RV lit up like Kai's eyes if he caught someone looking at his sister.

"What the? Ahh!" Lloyd screamed before scurrying out from under the inferno. His clothes were on fire. _STOP DROP AND ROLL! _He quickly did the steps he learned when he was younger and then fled the area before he was caught.

After a few minutes the RV exploded and Lloyd returned to the Serpentine's rendezvous point with a contentment inside. Also inside was another feeling. _Guilt. It's like I didn't even want to do this. What's going on with me? _As the smoke filled the air and confusion swam inside him, Lloyd was beginning to doubt everything he knew.


	13. First To Fire

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 13: The First to Fire

"Does anyone else smell something burning?" Jay asked after a while. The whole RV was getting hot inside.

"Yeah, HOLY CHEESECAKE!" Wisp screamed as the front of the RV burst into flames.

"To the back of the bus!" Kai commanded and the boys ran back.

"I told my parents to keep the fire extinguisher in here." Rocky said dismayed.

"Well what do we do? Oh, we're so hooped." Jay whined.

"Kai, I have a confession." Jay said out of panic.

"What?"

"I like your sister!"

"Oh snap bro, you do _not _want to go there." Flame warned. They backed up further as the flames approached them. Flame and Kai were the closest to the blaze and guarding the others.

"You _like _my sister?" Kai asked but his eyes weren't fiery like when Flame had asked Nya out. They were actually happy.

"Yeah, I do and I'm not afraid to admit it anymore."

"Why are you two talking about this when we're about to die!?" Cole asked and then they reached the end of the RV.

"Afraid? Why were you afraid in the first place?" Kai asked over his shoulder.

"You can be scary sometimes." Wisp admitted, catching on to Jay's idea.

"WHAT!" Kai growled. His amber eyes contained fire and it wasn't the reflection of the actual fire.

"Well for one you can over react and be sort of a hot head, your hair is stupid and I hate the spikes, you can't blacksmith even if your life depended on it, your sister beat your scores in samurai training class, and you're the worst at training and we all agree." Wisp continued. Soon Kai was shaking with rage and the others caught on.

"Once Kai, when your sister was sleeping, I snuck into your house and gave her a quick kiss." Flame said quickly since the flames were right in front of them.

"YOU WHAT!" Kai screamed and the fire near him retreated slightly.

"Kai, look." Zane instructed and the teen turned to see the flames backing away.

"I've got fire! Alright!" He exclaimed before walking forward and watching the flames move back.

"If we do not get out of here in thirty seconds I believe the RV will explode." Zane announced.

"Thanks Zane for enhancing my calm." Jay replied. Kai's fire trick was starting to fail the more Kai wasn't angry.

"Kai, hold on a second." Cole said with a sudden epiphany. He walked over and pulled his hand back.

"Sorry buddy but I want to live." He added before slamming his hand into Kai's face. Then the explosion went off and Jay screamed.

_**Linebreak**_

Shard was calming himself down when the explosion happened.

"No!" He screamed before he started crying. Everything electric shattered as well as the windows. People rushed into his room to see what was happening.

They came in to see Shard surrounded by broken things and bawling. Teenagers-especially boys- typically don't cry. They kept asking him questions but he wouldn't sign even when they got a translator in case he'd become deaf.

After several minutes Shard finally signed. He said: _I am fine. I just want to be left alone._

"Shard, we're going to move you to another room and then we'll leave you alone. Is that alright?" Dr. Tudabone asked and Shard nodded.

_**Linebreak**_

"Uh, Chief, the RV exploded." Private Donut said nervously into his police radio. He ran his fingers through his red hair.

"What? How'd that happen?" The Police chief asked in a Georgian accent.

"I don't know sir. I'm new."

"Then get Simmons or Grif to figure it out!"

"Yes sir!"

"Ugh, Simmons, Grif, the RV exploded."

"Donut, we know. It's obvious."

"I just refuse to call him Private Donut."

"Well sirs, what am I to do?" Donut asked again.

"Go get some elbow grease."

"And headlight fluid. We need those to give the cleanup crew."

"Yes sirs!"

"Elbow grease, how dumb do they think I am? Well, I'm off to get headlight fluid." Donut mumbled as he headed towards the store.

The fire crew pulled up and all that was left of the accident was the smoking RV. The police had already found out the story and dismissed the other cars.

"Lopez, wait here. Church, rookie, and I will investigate." Fireman Tucker said to the driver.

The three firemen went to the RV to see if any people were there. There was no fire so they just wore their heatproof gloves. Shoving aside debris they were searching for survivors and the smoke was going up.

"Church, Tucker, is it normal for people to be red and holding up shields around people?" The newbie-Caboose- asked unsurely.

"No, what kind of dumb question is tha-" Church began before he and Tucker saw two teenage boys holding up a red shield composed of fire. Five other boys were there and inside the shield.

_**Linebreak**_

"How did you guys make that shield?" Zane asked curiously once the darkness was vanquished.

"I don't know, it just came to me." Kai answered before he lowered his hands along with Flame. However, Flame didn't look like himself.

Flame had red scales to replace his normally reddish skin. His eyes were now amber slits and instead of fingers he had claws. Two small wings had emerged from his back along with a red tail. When the shield was dropped he changed back into his regular self.

"That was….awesome!" Jay exclaimed.

"You….strange teenagers. We have some questions to ask." Grif said as he and his partners approached the wreck.

After hours of questioning at the police station the boys were finally released. Because their only transportation was trashed their parents had to pick them up. There were not happy faces on parents.


	14. Aftershock

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 14: Aftershock

"Radnor, you are so irresponsible! How can you ever hope to make good choices when we can't even trust you with a vehicle? You could've been killed! Or you could've killed all your friends or the other drivers! What were you thinking?" Rocky's mother shouted on the ride home. He was staring out the window thinking about how Flame had unlocked his dragon abilities and Kai had repelled the fire.

"It wasn't my fault. All the lights were green. I swear." He said in his defense.

"That's impossible! All the lights can't be green. You just thought it was your turn to go. I know I'm right. Admit that you made a mistake. Radnor, we raised you not to lie to us. If you're lying then you'll be grounded. Now what do you say?"

"It _wasn't _my fault. It was rigged. Someone planned for this to happen. I know they did."

"That's it, you're grounded for a month. Maybe that will teach you not to lie and to be more cautious." Rocky's father said before they pulled into the driveway. Rocky felt anger build inside him. _His parents were ignoring everything he said!_ When they got inside Rocky let it out.

"Can you _listen _for once? You guys _never trust _me! Everything I say just goes in one ear and out the other! You don't know me! I was cautious! I knew with carrying passengers to be more careful and I was. I was being careful. I don't lie to you guys. I know somebody planned the accident! Now pleas hear me through, I didn't mess up!" Rocky shouted.

"Go to your room." His father boomed.

"No."

"If you live in my house you're under my rules. Now go to your room."

"No. I'm almost eighteen. I don't need you guys anymore and you don't need me. I'm leaving!" Rocky finished before slamming the door on his way out.

_**Linebreak**_

Zane was silent on his way home. Dr. Julien seemed very calm and that's what Zane liked about his father. He would hear things through and talk to Zane before punishment. Dr. Julien was a very understanding person and Zane hoped to be just like him someday.

"Zane, what happened back there?" Dr. Julien finally asked when they reached their house. Zane explained everything before adding,

"Rocky told us after the crash that he saw all the lights were green. Whenever I peered out the window I noticed that none of them had flickered to yellow or red. His information was accurate. Therefore we believe that someone planned the crash."

"Why would somebody do something like that?"

"I don't know. And that's what troubles me. I'm starting to think that what happened to Shard was no accident. Remember how we visited the dam three days prior to it busting? It was in perfect condition and there were no cracks. I think if there were any they'd have the area on alert or repairs in progress. Then it so happens that it busts?

"Another thing, when I went to find Shard he was locked in his trailer. If he noticed it was flooding wouldn't he leave? Instead he was trapped inside. When I tried to open the door it was locked. Shard never leaves the door locked until he goes to bed."

"Maybe he locked it because he was about to go to bed?" Dr. Julien suggested.

"Excellent point, father. There's still more to the story though. Whenever the group and I did investigating we found some clues which I have in my room. May I go get them?" Zane asked.

"Of course son." And a few minutes later Zane returned with the red snake scale, some wood that he had collected after his fall, a broken green snake-like lock, and a black snake scale.

"The red snake scale came from the others investigation. The rest from my personal exploration after I was released."

"These are too big to be snake scales but if I look at them through my microscope I might could tell you what they are." Dr. Julien offered.

"No need. I already did that. There is more I need to tell you. You know how I said I joined a martial arts class two years ago?"

"Yes,"

"It was because I was chosen for something. I don't know what it is but it's a long story. And because of today's events I know that it wasn't a fictional tale." Zane said before beginning his story.

_**Linebreak**_

"Jay, are you hurt? What about you Wilburt? Are any of you injured or feel woozy?" Edna asked as Ed drove towards the junkyard.

"No mom. We feel fine." Jay assured her for the thirteenth time since they got in the car.

"When we get to the junkyard do you want to call your parents Wilburt?" Ed asked.

"Hehe, Wilburt." Jay snickered before being elbowed.

"Yes please. I think it'd be better if I told them now then they find out when they get back from their trip."

When they got to the junkyard Wisp stepped into the other room of the trailer to dial his parents number. As Jay would say he was so hooped. He was sweating as he waited for his parents to pick up. A part of him was hoping that they wouldn't answer and he could just forget about it.

"Hello?"

"Hi dad." Wisp said uneasily.

"Wilburt? I got a call from the police station today. You're in big trouble man."

"I didn't even do anything." Wisp answered coolly. He could hear Jay and his parents laughing in the other room.

"Did you distract the driver?"

"I don't know, I'm not him. We were playing Rock, Paper, Clamp and the next thing I know is I'm under a table."

"Well, you're grounded now so no more distracting drivers. When we get back we'll talk about when to cease your punishment."

"Dad that's so unfair."

"Life's unfair son. You could've not only killed yourself but everyone there. You're lucky to be alive."

"Dad, really this is unfair. It was an accident. Accidents happen." Wisp said in his defense but his father hung up at the first sentence.

"Great."

"Hey Wisp, we're about to play charades!" Jay called.

_**Linebreak**_

Flame wasn't speaking to his parents. He knew we was grounded and that they wouldn't listen. He'd just get the responsibility speech and he'd heard that enough in his life. He was almost eighteen but until he could work out bills and savings then he could move out with Kai and they'd share an apartment, which meant he was stuck with his parents rules. He went up to his room.

_I know I'm grounded but they'd never explain why. My parents never understand me. I'm red for crying out loud. I've had to adjust to being different. Nobody realizes how hard it is for me to be like this. I'm not normal and I act like everything is okay but I'm not. I can't even tell my best friend this! What will others think if they find out I'm a dragon? As if being a freak was bad enough._

_**Linebreak**_

Kai went back to his house from the bus. Nya was waiting after already closing their shop. She was not happy with him. He scratched the back of his head nervously. He'd been dealing with the police and missed shop hours. When he reached the house Nya ran up and hugged him.

"I saw the accident on the TV. I thought I lost you. The explosion had broken the camera's and I thought I had lost my big brother. Please promise me that you won't leave me. Not like mom and dad. Promise me Kai." Nya begged. Kai found his shoulder wet.

"I promise."

"Don't scare me like that."

"What happened to my tough sister?"

"I _am_ tough. Just not when it comes to you." She whispered.

"Did you ever have a thing for Flame?" Kai asked after she let go.

"No, of course not. It's Jay I like." She assured him hoping he'd take it as a joke. Instead of getting that flare he actually looked happy.

"Good cause, he likes you too."

"And Nya, I've been needing to tell you something for two years." Kai began before they sat down on the couch so he could tell her the story.

"So you have fire powers?" She asked once he was done.

"Yeah."

"And Flames a dragon?"

"Uh huh."

"And they really think I'd be better at the Samurai Games this year?"

"Yeah." He mumbled in response.

"I guess I will sign up. Who knows, it could be fun."

_**Linebreak**_

Cole's father was singing his feelings with his quartet. Cole rolled his eyes. When they got home Cole was forced into the most ridiculous outfit ever. A pink leotard, tutu, pink tights, and black ballet flats.

"Dad this is embarrassing!" Cole complained.

"But it fits perfectly."

"I don't want to wear mom's ballet clothes."

"That's not your mothers."

"Then whose is it?"

_**Linebreak**_

"Nice work you did, you're gonna go far kid." One of the Hypnobrai said when Lloyd got back to the Serpentine network. When midnight hits they'd begin their fighting in the Slither Pit.

"I've got a question Skales. In two years, how come you and the others aged and I'm still a kid?" Lloyd asked. He knew he'd been thinking too much lately but he couldn't help it.

"I don't know scamp." Skales hissed as if he didn't care.

"And if my father _is _Garmadon how come he never brought me home? I still live with a foster family."

"Go annoy someone else for a change. I'm trying to run a tribe here."

So Lloyd went to go talk to Pythor. He seemed to be the only friend Lloyd had around here. _Maybe he'd know why I felt conflicted back there. It could be because I was sent to kill them. Yet, I feel like I knew those guys before we were enemies. What's happening to me? I'm evil. Son of the evil Lord Garmadon. Then why do I not want to be?_

"After this I need to get candy." Lloyd muttered as he made his way to the Anacondrai tribe of only one member.

"Yeah, lots of candy. I steal it too cause I'm evil. Mua ha ha ha!"


	15. Garmadon

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 15: Garmadon

_"Why is there no crying?" Misako asked after it was said her baby was born. Garmadon clasped her hand tightly and now he was worried._

_ "Your baby is dead." The doctor announced after a few minutes. Tears started falling down the couples face as well as Wu's who was there on Misako's word._

_ "Can we hold him? Just once?" Misako asked._

_ "Of course." The doctor responded before wrapping the baby in a blanket and handing him to the mother._

_ "He has your father's hair." Misako whispered. After a few minutes she passed her dead child to her husband. Then the child was passed to his uncle and back to the doctor._

That dream ended and Garmadon woke up. That night haunted him. There was always one thing he was sure of that night. Whenever he held his son he thought he could feel the faint beating of a heart and slight breathing. He wish he had something to the doctors for them to check. Instead he had let his son be carried to the morgue and away from any hope of being alive.

_It doesn't matter. You turned evil, it courses through your veins. Only because of the Great Devourer your wife left you. You had no hope for a family. Your enemy is your brother. He still hides at the Monastery with our fathers Golden Weapons hidden. If I get that map then I could find them. Then I can turn Ninjago into my image! _

_That's a perfect idea. I can use these snakes to help me. Destroying the group of brats and shutting down the school will be done just to keep them on my side. Then once I'm in power I can lock them in the original Serpentine tombs of their ancestors._

Garmadon fell back asleep.

"_Dad?" An older blonde boy asked. He looked like Lloyd Montgomery from the school._

"_Son?"_

"_Dad?"_

"_You're alive? Is it really true?"_

"_I am alive but we're destined to fight each other. Either you destroy me or I destroy you. It is our destiny."_

The image changed.

_Purple beams were shooting from his hands and he couldn't fight the hold over him. He knew that this…this thing would overpower him. It would destroy Lloyd. He couldn't lose his son! Not again! Lloyd was obviously no match to this cretin. Another blast and Lloyd was knocked far back and didn't stir._

_My son!_

_The demon in Garmadon shot more darkness at the unconscious Lloyd. It kept pummeling him and soon the blonde didn't move at all. He couldn't again. Garmadon couldn't stop the demon and his son paid the price._

Garmadon woke up from another nightmare with a realization_. Lloyd Montgomery_ _was his son. _His son was alive. That doctor had lied to them so many years ago. With that he wondered about Misako. Would she want to know? Where was she? Would she ever come back to him? They were still married after all.

Then the evil of him started to talk. _The Netherworld. It will be how to get the Four Weapons. Leave the snakes to the brats and school. You have more important things to take care of._

Garmadon spent the rest of the night journeying to Mystake's Tea Shop to get Travelers Tea. Then he used it to go to the Netherworld. The place of eternal darkness. Where things go bump in the night. Where Garmadon will be the first to bear all four weapons at once without being destroyed.


	16. There Are Always Two Sides to a Mirror

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 16: There Are Always Two Sides To A Mirror

It was Monday morning and the boys in the group came into class looking glum. Almost all of them had been grounded or had a fight with their parents. Rocky seemed the worst of all. He looked tired and…dirty.

"Rocky, we're you hit by a bus?" Cole asked in homeroom. He was glared at by the rest of the group.

"Wrong choice of words. Sorry."

"I ran away from home." Rocky admitted before putting his arms down and slamming his face down onto the table.

"Why?" They asked in unison.

"I decided I needed to leave. I've basically slept in a cardboard box under a bridge the past two nights. It's no big deal." Rocky muttered.

"You can always sleep over at my house. My parents love company." Jay offered.

"No, I couldn't do that to you."

"I would say my house but you don't want to go there. My dad's gotten out his old dancing uniforms and he's making me try them on. It's a nightmare." Cole sighed thinking about that stupid tutu he had to wear.

"It's okay guys. No really." Rocky replied before stifling a yawn.

"Oh good, you're the first ones here. Have you had any progress?" Professor Wu asked as he unpacked his teacher supplies.

"Yeah, yesterday. Kai and I got in touch with fire." Flame replied.

"Good, then you are ready to hear the rest of the tale. After school we will discuss this further."

"Sensei, a few of us are grounded." Wisp confessed.

"Why?"

"Well, we got into a car accident yesterday and our parents didn't take it too well." Flame explained.

"Oh dear, you are all alright though? Correct?"

"Yes, Sensei." Zane replied in a respectful bow.

"Then I shall call your parents and explain to them about a secret afterschool project that you are all involved in and that you cannot miss it. Anyway, do not miss your lessons afterschool. These are more important than you'll ever realize."

The next few classes were boring an uninteresting. Then came lunch.

"I was hoping there'd be cake today." Cole murmured before sighing in defeat.

"Do you think that Sensei will reveal what we really are?" Zane questioned as they moved through the lunch line.

"I don't know. Zane, have you seen Shard lately?" Jay asked.

"No, I haven't. I need to but buses don't run until the weekend and yesterday the bus had broken down at the station and so I couldn't go. Why do you ask?"

"You know how he watches the news. As Nya said the camera was watching. What if he saw it too? Then he might be worried about us. He might even think we're dead." Wisp finished for Jay.

"Eww! There's a bug in the milk!" Jay complained.

"So that's where they go for the winter." Wisp said peering in to see it. All the kids who heard that did not get milk to drink.

When the group got to their table they glared at the Serpentine. Lloyd was over at their table laughing at their jokes and eating candy. Serpentine had candy, group had bug milk.

The next classes after lunch went by slowly and the group couldn't wait for after school.

What was strange is the all-day nobody saw Coach Garmadon stalking through the halls or at P.E. He had disappeared. The substitute was liked by everybody and he wasn't as harsh. Whenever it was gym, Cole was surprised. The substitute gym teacher was _Dareth the librarian_.

"Dareth? What are you doing substituting for the P.E teacher? You're a librarian." Rocky asked. He was going to ask if he could leave class early to get a shower in the locker room since football practice was cancelled due to flooding on the football field.

"I, Grand Librarian Dareth, am also Grand Sensei Dareth of animal martial arts. I am truly the best and I'm hoping I can fill your younger brains with the skill and awesomeness that I possess. You may not reach my skill level but with years of training you can almost become as great as I am." Dareth answered before bringing forth multiple trophies from under the coach's desk.

"As you can see all of these are kung fu awards. If you look closely, my name's on all of them."

"Nice to know. Does this mean you'll also be subbing as the football coach?"

"Of course."

"Alright students, today we will practice an amateur move. It is called The Tiger. Don't panic if you get it wrong. It took me several months to master it's majesticness."

"Majesticness, is that even a word?" a student who tried to make a joke out of everything the teacher said, asked.

"Of course it is. I, Grand Sensei Dareth, made it up myself."

"Key words being 'made up'." Cole whispered to Rocky on the other side of the gym. The two giggled and continued with the warm up session.

_**Linebreak**_

"Zane, your dad is so awesome." A boy whispered in Robotics club. Dr. Julien had unveiled a new invention that was designed to counteract the effects of a known drug that could tamper with memories. It wasn't going to be made public yet because it still had minor kinks. Until it was perfect then they couldn't send it off to marketing.

"I agree. I love my dad." Zane whispered back while taking notes on certain features he would discuss with his father and how they could be tweaked towards perfection.

"What kind of kinks does it have Dr. Julien?" A girl with thick black framed glasses and freckles asked.

"The first thing my son and I discovered was that whenever it gets too hot it smells like burnt donuts. We also noted how uncomfortable it gets after sitting on your head for a long period of time. There are several more issues but in a couple of months we can get this baby up and running." Dr. Julien replied. He went into a lecture about how you should always test inventions before taking the time to market them and to go all the way with fixing any problems so that it doesn't come back to bite you in the rear.

When class was almost over Dr. Julien had a contest he wanted to share with his students.

"Okay class, you know how I have a lot of inventions, well I want to host a small contest only for this class. If any of you can guess what my best invention is then you can have a year access pass to the Robotics Laboratory in Ninjago City. You have a month. I won't give out any clues but if you paid attention for the past four years then you should know. I mean, I've had every single one of you since freshman year. Here's how to give me your guess and you only get one a piece: Write your guess on a piece of paper and turn it into the toaster mailbox on my desk."

RING! RING! RING!

"Class dismissed."

Everyone headed towards their lockers and towards their way home. Rocky was going to go with Kai while his sister went home. Zane was going to visit Shard after Sensei Wu's lesson.

Jay and Wisp hurried out of Engineering and were leaving Jay's parents behind. Jay's mother had brought his scrapbook and was showing it to everybody. It was bad enough that when Wisp had to stay with them that Edna had asked him if he brought clean underwear. What kind of question is that? Wisp felt scared of her when she asked that.

"Why does your mother do that?"

"I don't know. But it's embarrassing." Jay replied as they met up with the group outside.

"We either have to walk or we have to take the bus." Flame said as they met up with the last member.

"I know of a bus stop nearby. We can take it to the Monastery." Zane answered as he took off his tie and placed it in his backpack.

"After knowing you for so long Zane, I wonder why you dress so preppy." Kai wondered as they walked.

"I like to look nice for school. It shows how serious I am about learning."

"O-kay then." Jay mumbled.

"I've been meaning to tell you all that I've gotten a part-time job at Darkley's. I'll be cooking there fourteen hours a week for minimum wage. Their chef retired and so I took over one of the assistant chef's positions." Zane added once they reached the bus stop.

"Neat, that's a good place. Not a good name but amazing food." Flame said while fishing bus tokens from his wallet.

"Two hours a day? That's not bad." Cole said while getting out his yearly bus pass. He realized he was out of miles and then resorted to digging through loose change for bus tokens.

"I think I'm being overpaid though. However minimum wage is the lowest you can pay someone." Zane said while twiddling with his bus pass. The bus was coming up the road.

"Zane, what kind of bus is this exactly?" Rocky asked. He looked better after gym however the dark spots under his eyes couldn't be erased by soap and water.

"Ninjago City Tour Bus of course!"

"Now you sound like Dareth." Rocky muttered and Cole laughed. They boarded the bus.

"Cole, Rocky, when's the next football game? We've got to kidnap some Serpentine freshman soon." Kai reminded them.

"We need two more practices before our next game. Today's was canceled so Friday should be the next game." Cole answered. Rocky had his head leaned against the metal slate by his chair. He looked so tired and was falling asleep.

"Cheese joke time!" Jay exclaimed.

"Oh no Jay, you're not doing this again!" Flame said before putting his hand over Jay's mouth.

"But their gouda!" Wisp protested before fist bumping with Jay.

"Ricotta listen to them!" Wisp added. Just then Jay sneezed all over Flame's hand.

"EW! EW! EW! EW! EW!"

The blue boys were laughing their heads off. Wisp had to stop himself due to chest pressure.

"And if you look to your right you will see Ninjago's very own Monastery. That's where the First Spinjitzu Master guarded over the four weapons of Spinjitzu. Now it's just an old relic." The tour guide man said before making a stop.

After waking Rocky up they got off and headed up the stairs. Wisp and Jay were the last to arrive as always due to Wisp's heart condition. Sensei Wu was waiting inside with his blue teapot and the training course was down. He beckoned them to join him at the small square table.

"Hello students. This is a long tale so the best place to start is the beginning. You know the tale about the Golden Weapons. You know about the dragons and the Serpentine as well as my brother. Now it is time for you to know what you are.

"Yesterday Kai, you and Flame found out you have manipulation over fire. That is because you each have elements. They correspond with the Golden Weapons. Kai, your weapon is the Sword of Fire and you and Flame have the element of Fire.

"Zane, you and Shard noticed you have an immunity to cold. Your weapon is the Shurikens of Ice and you both are the embodiment of Ice.

"Cole, you and Rocky are strong and enjoy adventure. Those are the qualities of Earth. Your weapon is the Scythe of Quakes.

"Jay, you and Wisp are free spirited and quick, characteristics of Lightning. Your weapon is the Nunchuks of Lightning.

"You each are elemental ninja. Your best friends are elemental dragons. You were destined to be companions and to fight my brother and other evils that plague Ninjago. You must maintain the balance of good and evil." Sensei Wu explained. They listened with interest.

"But, we're in high school still! We have things we want to do!" Kai complained standing up.

"I understand that but there's a difference between needs and wants. You _want _to do other things but you _need _to protect the city. It's your duty to help those who cannot help themselves!"

"What's in it for us?" Flame asked before he too stood up.

Sensei Wu did not have an answer for that. After a moment of silence the two left.

"The rest of you understand, right?" Sensei Wu asked with slight agitation in his voice.

"Yes, Sensei." They answered in unison.

"It has been an hour. You may return to your homes. And Rocky, if you need a place to stay this Monastery is equipped to suit basic needs." Sensei added.

"Which means?"

"This is my house. There are plenty of empty rooms. You may use one."

"Thank you, Sensei."

_**Linebreak**_

Zane was waiting for the next bus to the hospital. The other boys had gone to their houses and Rocky was staying at the Monastery until he can get his life straightened out.

Zane's thoughts were questioning Sensei Wu. He didn't understand his reasoning. Maybe Sensei's wisdom was beyond his own? He couldn't fathom how Sensei knew so much and how he knew that they were the ones to bear the burden of protecting Ninjago.

Zane didn't know how he was supposed to be the one to use a weapon he didn't even know how to use? How could he be destined for the life of a Ninja when he didn't even know himself? How could a student who was so academically involved be a ninja? _Well, the possibilities __are__ endless and it's not like any other ninja offers are on the table. You don't even know what you want to do with your life and it couldn't hurt to try. It's like father says "Life is like a new invention, it may take many parts to find the one that makes the whole thing go together."_

"Kid, are you getting on or are you going to stand there all day?" The bus driver asked. She was grumpy and could stand to lay off of the ice cream.

"Sorry ma'am. Here are my bus tokens." Zane said as he handed her the coins and went to find a seat.

The bus ride was a long one since there was traffic and hit-every-red-light-in-town-day. When they finally pulled up to the bus stop near the hospital Zane was glad. He ran all the way to the front door and made his way to Shard's room. When he got there he found it under repairs. Panicked, Zane went to the nurses station.

"Excuse me ma'am but I'm looking for Shard Glass's room."

"Shard Glass, I believe he is at his therapy session and won't be back for another hour. His new room is room 314." The nurse replied before resuming her work.

"Thank you."

Zane made his way to Shard's room and waited an hour for him to return. His friends chart was calling out to him. Zane pulled out the remote for his Falcon friend and typed in the location he was at. He had an hour to kill, might as well put it to use.


	17. Shard Glass

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 17: Shard Glass

_Very good lesson today, Shard. You're improving fast. You should be able to go back to your normal life next week if all goes accordingly._ The therapist signed with a smile.

_Okay. _Shard signed. He'd been depressed since he saw the incident. All his friends were dead and he was still walking the Earth. Zane, Lloyd, Jay, Wisp, Kai, Flame, Cole, and Rocky would never go to college, never get girlfriends, never get married or have a family or a job. They'd miss out on so much that Shard would have. _Unless,_ Shard OD'd.

_The nurse'll wheel you up to your room and I'll see you again tomorrow Have a wonderful day, Shard!_

Shard had learned that all the doctors and nurses and assorted peoples were required to learn sign language. He could talk to anyone and they'd hear him without a voice. A hospital drives a person mad and so many push past that. Shard had been too, until he witnessed the accident and then his hope shattered.

When the nurse wheeled him back to the room, Shard had already planned his demise. He also hated the fact that he had to be wheeled everywhere, he could walk perfectly. Never had he been so unhappy and depressed before. Before the nurse opened the door another one signaled them over to her.

_Shard, you have a visitor. They've been waiting for you for an hour._

_ Is it my parents? I don't want them here. Please tell me it's not one of them!_

_ It's not. I don't know who it is though._

When he was wheeled back to his room the nurse opened the door and let him inside. When Shard saw who was inside his face lit up and his grin was ear to ear.

"ZANE!" He exclaimed before running and hugging his friend. He didn't realize that he had tears running down his face.

"I'm sorry I didn't see you sooner. The odds have not been in my favor lately. That is no excuse but I shouldn't need one."

"It's okay buddy. I just saw the news where the RV blew up and I thought you all were in there. I've only been awake for a short amount of time and that was just a lot to deal with. I feel guilty now." Shard cried into Zane's shoulder.

"Why? It is my fault."

"I thought you were all dead and I was going to kill myself tonight to join you all. I'm sorry buddy. I really am. I don't know what I was thinking."

Zane didn't know what to say to that. No words formed. His best friend was bawling into his shoulder and for once Zane was speechless.

People would make fun and Zane and Shard's relationship and Shard always said those people were cruel. Zane didn't understand what they meant and nobody would explain it to him. Now he thought he understood. They were close friends and like brothers. In a few weeks they _would _be brothers after Shard's eighteenth birthday.

"Shard, when you turn eighteen you are able to sign for adoption papers. My father wants to know if he can adopt you." Zane said before his friend went and lied back down in his hospital bed.

"Yes!" Shard cheered in a whisper.

"And I too have good news. My physical therapist said I should be out of this place next week if all goes well. There's so much I've got to catch up on personally and academically. I missed two years!" Shard added. Zane passed him the tissue box on the windowsill.

"You have missed a lot but I have reason to believe it's not your fault. It's all at my house. Don't worry Shard, it may take a while but I'll catch you up. Wait, the whole lot of us will catch you up." Zane promised.

"We seriously need a cool name for our group. One we can all agree on. Something good like: The Dragons or Elementals." Shard suggested.

"How about we call ourselves The Ninja?" He added.

"How'd you come up with that one?"

"It just came to me."

"I like it. The Ninja." Zane smiled before he saw the Falcon flying over Ninjago.

"Shard, you know how I was working on creating a Falcon companion?"

"Yeah?"

"I won the science fair with him. Would you like to see?"

"Absolutely!"

"I have a special pair of glasses that allow you to see what the Falcon sees. I didn't bring them but I will next time. It's quite interesting." Zane replied before pulling out the remote and summoning his friend.

"That is some cool music."

"You know the senior who wanted to be a composer?"

"Jay Vincent?"

"No, Michael Kramer. He wrote it."

"I think he's going to go far. Jay Vincent also. I heard them playing together before the flooding and they are both really good." Shard said before he got a good glimpse of the Falcon.

"Woah! You actually did it!" Shard smiled as he watched the bird land on Zane's awaiting arm.

"It was nothing actually." Zane answered modestly before passing the bird to his buddy.

"I could make nothing like this. Zane, you've got a way with robots."

"I think that is because I feel like I understand them better than most people. There is something about them that is familiar and….comfortable."

"That's awesome. I could never be that way."

The boys talked until Zane had to leave. He promised he would be back tomorrow and with the glasses. The Falcon resided in Shard's room to keep him company after Zane left.

It was before he was going to fall asleep that Shard noticed something. On his arm he found a white scale with a light blue tint. He then examined himself for more. That's when he found two small ones on the back of his neck.

"That's not normal. What's happening to me?" He wondered before he settled down to go to sleep.

What Shard didn't know was that he was slowly morphing into a dragon. For the past three days scales had been growing one at a time. They contrasted so greatly with his skin that they had been missed. Soon he'd be changing in multiple ways. Wings would grow as well as a tail. Fangs and scales and claws. Shard would soon be growing them all.


	18. The Football Game

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 18: The Football Game

_FRIDAY MORNING:_

"Today's the football game. Do you guys need to go over a plan or a specific target?" Cole asked in Homeroom. Kai and Flame had been being dodgy since Tuesday.

"Well, we should start with which Serpentine is the weakest link." Wisp suggested while clicking the end of his pen.

"From observation I conclude that Lasha-a member of the Venomari- is the best target." Zane replied. Since he graduated he was only here for Robotic's club to assist his father and homeroom to talk to the group before he goes to his father's room.

"Then that's who we'll go after." Rocky finished and just in time because Professor Wu came in.

"Hello students. I have excellent news! We have a confirmed date for this year's Samurai Games! This year we have tightened security so that nothing will happen to any students or any of the challenges. I know some of you have been preparing for this competition for multiple years and have no fear! This year we will go through with it. I hope you are all ready. Starting in the next half of the school year the Games will begin." Professor Wu announced before marking the date on his rice calendar.

"Now that I think about it, Professor Wu's hat kind of looks like an upside down boat." Jay whispered to Wisp. The two snickered as silently as they could so they wouldn't get caught.

"And I hope you will all be attending tonight's football game. It's against our rival school, The Skulkin Academy. Since Mr. Samukai transferred that school has had a better football team. Let's hope we can beat them this year."

"Don't worry Professor, Mr. Samukai's team is nothing compared to ours!" Cole assured him. He got some cheers and claps.

"Ah, but overconfidence can lead to disaster. Don't let it go to your head." The professor replied before whacking Cole on the head with his bamboo staff.

"Ow." Cole muttered. Some teens laughed at him.

"I believe you said that last year Mr. Lou." Sensei Wu stated and then everyone flash backed to that game where Cole missed the quarterback of the Skulkin by an inch and they lost the game.

"I tripped. It wasn't my fault." He said in his defense.

"There was nothing to trip over." A girl-Shannon as Cole recalled since she asked him out last year- said. She hadn't gotten over that he had said no.

"There was a hole. I swear there was."

"You tripped over nothing jock boy. Admit it." Shannon replied.

"It doesn't matter. The past is the past and the future is to be written. Just don't trip over nothing this time." Sensei Wu said and then smirked. Everyone laughed except Cole and then the bell for first period rang.

"I didn't know that Sensei could be funny sometimes!" Jay laughed while they headed towards their lockers.

"Yes, he is _full _of surprises." Kai remarked grumpily from his locker.

"So are you two talking to us again?" Rocky asked.

"What made you think we weren't?" Flame asked before scratching the back of his neck. Rocky and Wisp noticed the back of their necks were itchy too.

"Woah," Rocky gasped with his eyes wide open.

"I have-" Flame began.

"Scales." Wisp finished.

"Well that's attractive." Nya said sarcastically. She walked and stood next to her big brother. Jay automatically went brain dead.

"Hey sis." Kai welcomed.

"So Jay, Zane said you wanted to know what my favorite color was. It's blue." Nya said before she shifted her books into a neater pile and walked to her next class.

"Yes!" Jay whispered and pumped his fist.

"If you want to impress my sister, I've got some men's cologne you might want to try." Kai said with a hidden devious smirk.

"Really? That'd be great!" Jay exclaimed before they took off their separate ways for class.

Nya was nervous on the inside. She liked Jay and she knew from her brother that he liked her back but he never said anything to her. Kai always says that he never stops talking but she wondered why he was so silent. Maybe she should ask him out! Nya smiled on her way to class while thinking about what to say.

Jay facepalmed. He totally went silent in front of Nya. He always wanted to say something but for once he couldn't speak. Jay knew if he could talk to her at least once then he'd be able to all the time. The first step is always hardest but this afternoon he swore no matter what he'd ask Nya out.

_SAMURAI CLASS:_

"Kai versus Flame. Katana battle. Put your kendo's on." Professor Wu instructed to the two teens. The two previous fighters placed their kaginawa's back on the weapons table. They had a few cuts from the tips but they were dull ends but pointy.

"Bow and then battle."

Immediately after the bow Kai struck at Flame. The latter anticipated the attack and blocked. Kai kept trying to land blows and Flame dodged. Kai's eyes got their fire of determination and the flames ran through him. Flame remained calm yet firm in his attacks and grew agitated when Kai actually landed a hit. The two were equally matched and with every hit Kai got on Flame the latter would look more draconic. With every hit Flame got Kai would spark with fire.

Professor Wu observed carefully. As he believed from previous observation he knew that Kai and Flame's elemental properties were aligned so if one came in contact with their power, like a mirror, the reflection would too summon it. Wu knew he had to be more careful with them whenever Flame became a dragon because his contact with his element would be careless and that would sets Kai's off. If one part of the scale is tipped then the other is no longer balanced.

"Stop! Bow and place your weapons back. Andrew versus Claire. Chain scythe battle. Put your kendo's on." Professor Wu instructed.

After the rest of the pairs battled it was time to clean weapons and then it would be the end of the day. Everyone was sweating because it was hot for autumn and they'd trained hard. Once the weapons were put away the students were dismissed to the shower room and then the bell rang for them to go home.

Jay waited outside the door of Engineering class for Nya to come out. When he left the room he saw her turning in her papers and packing her stuff. His parents saw him leave so they wouldn't be bugging him while he tried to talk with his dream girl. Of course his parents encouraged him to ask Nya out and he appreciated that but it's kind of weird to have your parents breathing over your shoulder while you tried to ask someone out.

"Oh hey Nya, I gotta ask you something." Jay stuttered when she came out the door.

"Me too. Same time?" She asked.

"Do you wanna go out with me?" The asked simoultaniously.

"Sure!" They both blushed when they spoke at the same time.

"How about Mega Monster Amusement Park?" Jay suggested.

"That's perfect! I'm sure it will be fun." Nya mused.

"What time?"

"How about tomorrow? At six thirty? Would that be okay?" Nya asked.

"Definitely. I'll pick you up."

"I've got to meet up with the others. I'll see you tomorrow." Jay said before winking and going to meet up with the guys.

"See ya Jay. Wait, you'll be at the game, right?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe we could sit together. I'm sure the boys won't mind."

Jay froze. They were supposed to be kidnapping Lasha at the game. He couldn't blow off the guys because they needed him but what was he supposed to say to Nya?

"It's fine if you have other plans with them." Nya said after not receiving an answer.

"I'm sorry Nya, we kinda already had a plan for something at the stadium-for Cole and Rocky of course- and I can't ditch them. Maybe next time."

"Sure."

The two went their separate ways and Jay was doing a jig on the way to meet with the others. Nya was off to tell her girlfriends about her date with Jay.

"Jay, what took you so long?" Wisp asked. He noticed Jay's ear to ear grin.

"I got me a date."

"Aww man, I wanted to be your wingman." Wisp sighed sarcastically.

"We've got to get going. The football game starts in an hour and we've got to walk all the way to the football field at the college." Rocky stated before they started walking.

When they got there the non-atheletic boys were complaining. Cole and Rocky shrugged and then went to the lockeroom.

"My feet are so sore." Flame complained before he scratched at the scales on his neck. He had four in a row with the last one growing a little every hour.

"I have one scale on my neck and three on my feet. They hurt and are itchy." Wisp muttered sadly.

"Can we not talk about scales. It's kinda creepy if you think about it." Jay asked while they made their way to the bleachers.

"Fine. I'll tell a joke then. Why did the lineman tackle the vending machine?" Wisp asked.

"To get his quarter back."

"That one's kind of old." Kai said unamused. He was hard to hear over Jay's laughing.

"I like to mix up old and new. It keeps it fresh." Wisp shrugged.

_"Ladies and gentlemen! Today is the first football game of the year. We have The Skulkin Army versus Ninjago's Dragons!" _The announcer….announced.

"Dragons! Dragons! Dragons!"

"Skulkin! Skulkin! Skulkin!"

_"It looks like the Dragons are playing defense first. Let's give both teams a round of applause!"_

Once the game began Jay had already spotted Nya sitting with her friends. Zane had pretended to use the excuse of snack break to go find Lasha. When halftime came all the audience members had on their supporting colors. There was gold and purple mixed in the stands. It was during halftime break that the group were going to steal their Serpentine target.

"He's just gotten up. Let's go and get this over with." Zane reported and then he took his Falcon glasses off.

The group snuck off towards the unsuspecting Serpentine. He had an eyepatch and was wearing a lime green. They came from his blind side and then surrounded him.

"You're surrounded. Try anything and we will have to hurt you." Kai whispered in his ear. Lasha looked around and saw that he was indeed surrounded. He sneakily activated a button on his watch that alerted the rest of the gang.

"Fine, I'm coming. Where are we going?" Lasha asked before he was led to the bathroom. The door was locked and barricaded. It was as if they suspected his alert.

"Don't worry Lasha. I disabled any network communications. The button on your watch wouldn't be calling anyone." The blonde preppy boy said. Lasha was nervous now. He wondered what they were going to do to him.

"What do you want from me?"

"We'd just like to know what you know about the incident with Lloyd two years ago. You must've heard of it. It was quite an accomplishment for the Serpentine." Flame said. The now human snake thought they were being to kind. He didn't want to start something ugly so he spilled. They were seniors and he was a freshman! He was scared of them.

"I know! Don't hurt me!"

"We won't hurt you as long as you answer our questions." Wisp hissed. There was a static charge in the air.

"What happened that night? Everything you know." Jay demanded. He could hear cheers throughout the stadium. One team scored a touchdown.

"The blonde kid had been lost so Pythor and some other Serpentine offered to take him home. They went to a candy store and they slipped something in the boys candy. That night they tampered with his memories and made him one of them. Then they dropped him off at his house. That's all I know I swear!" The Serpentine cried.

"What did they slip in?" Kai asked threateningly.

"Some kind of drug."

"The drug that causes memory faltering? They used that on our friend?" Zane asked and for once he was angry.

"Yes! Those college boys used it on him to get him on their side. At first it was for spy work but when they found out he was actually Coach Garmadon's son then they went all out and turned him. The Serpentine Seniors who were there never stop talking about it. The boy is clueless."

"At first you said that was all you knew and now your spilling this? How come you didn't say it originally?" Flame asked.

"I didn't think you cared."

"What else do you know? Everything, this time even if we care or not." Zane asked with an edge to his voice.

"It was Serpentine who killed your friend. Garmadon has dark powers that he used to burst the dam and flooded that housing region. It was Fangpyre that left clues for your friends. The Constricti knocked your friend out and then locked him in and then they gathered to bust the dam and drowned him.

"It was also the college kids who caused the accident you were in. They made the blonde kid set the RV on fire and they've been having us freshman and sophomores cause accidents the past two years. The Serpentine want to destroy you and shut down the school."

Lasha kept going on and on about the Serpentine's plans. He knew when he got back to Pythor he'd be in big trouble with the Serpentine. He needed to think fast and maybe these guys would help him since he cooperated. When he was done spilling what he knew he wanted to ask a favor.

"I told you everything I know, can you do me a favor?"

"What is it?" Jay asked. Kai and Flame didn't look so convinced.

"I don't want to get in trouble with the others so can you all pretend to look like I fought you all and lay on the ground. Please? I just have to bring one of the seniors here to prove it and we'll be good to go." Lasha begged and pleaded.

The group looked to one another and then Kai sighed,

"Okay. But after this we're enemies."

"Agreed full heartedly."

"Hurry up. We don't got all day." Flame barked and then Lasha left.

When he came back with Acidicus he found the group all laying on the ground at odd angles and poses like they were in a fight. The Venomari even poked Jay who fought giggles and decided that his scout had told the truth. The two left but the boys could hear a slight 'thank you'. Once the snakes were gone they all got up.

"That was some great acting." Wisp stated before they went back to their seats.

"I felt sorry for that Venomari, he seemed very scared of not only us but his brothers too." Zane said while they watched the last minute of the game.

"A snake is still a snake. I think he deserved what was coming to him." Kai replied.

"Imagine if it was you Kai, you just got threatened for information and if the others knew that then you'd be punished and we don't even know how. Obviously it was something terrible or else he wouldn't have been as scared as he was." Jay explained.

"Fair enough."

"GO ROCKY! TOUCHDOWN! TOUCHDOWN!" Wisp shouted after jumping up. There were five seconds left and he had twenty yards to go. The others were cheering their friend on.

"NOOOOOOOO!" They jeered because he was tackled and the end was here.

_"The Dragons and the Skulkin have tied!"_

Once the stands cleared out the group met up with Rocky and Cole. They were all going to go visit Shard since they hadn't seen him in a while. Zane was filling the two in on what they found out from Lasha and once that was done they told jokes and chatted all the way to the hospital. So far, today had been a good day.


	19. Once Bitten, Twice Shy

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 19: Once Bitten, Twice Shy

_FRIDAY NIGHT:_

"Tomorrow is the day of the full moon and it is also Saturday. That means after dawn we will still be in our snake forms. We need to plan on what we're going to do." Skalidor said to the other tribe leaders in the sewers. It was nearing midnight and soon they'd be in their snake forms for thirty hours.

"I say we attack a large group of people. We need them to fear the Serpentine once again!" A newly converted snake shouted. Cheers echoed throughout the sewers and were passed off as mishearing's.

"Where will we attack?" Fangtom asked. This time one head completed the sentence.

"How about Mega Monster Amusement park? We won't be caught and yet we can scare to our hearts content!" A Constricti asked. He had a liking to giant ham sandwiches.

"I know that's silly, Pythor. Yet if you want them to trust you then let them have a play day." Skales whispered before midnight struck.

The molting had begun and the skins would be dropped into drains. They'd be eaten by critters or simply dissolve in the sludge or rot. The snake skins would have to have venom dripped on them to dissolve them because the sewers could not. It was disgusting and that's not to include the smell. It was putrid and all of the worst rotting smells in one. Rotting snake skins are the worst in the sewers.

"Alright, this better be worth it in the end though. If we can get morale up that means our hunt for Ouroboros can be done faster. We end both the school and destroy the group as well as all of Ninjago once we release our ancestor." Pythor hissed before he and Skales could feel themselves about to change.

Their heart rates accelerated as the cooling blood coursed like race cars through their veins. Their skins felt loose as they started to peel off. One layer kept the organs and blood inside while scales began to form and lock together. There were varying sizes of scales as they formed different patterns on each snake. Once their eyes shifted to venomous slits instead of pupils, fangs grew and each was ripe with the taste of poison. The Serpentine were going to be like this until dawn tomorrow.

"We are Serpentine! Let us plague the city that once locked our kind underground! They will pay for their insolence! They will pay for their crimes! Let their screams echo just as our ancestors once did!" Skales announced and cheering from his brethren filled his cobra ears.

As they slithered towards the surface, the tribe leaders were having a meeting. Their followers were laughing and carrying on. When you thought about it the Serpentine weren't so bad. They were just misunderstood. Then comes the wanting to destroy Ninjago part. Now that's evil.

"Are you sure the Great Devourer won't consume us too?" Skales asked the giant purple snake.

"Positive. We are it's kin. Serpentine do not eat Serpentine."Pythor replied before remembering the divine taste of his own tribe. A shame that they had to resort to cannibalism to survive the tombs but they were locked in without food.

"Says the one who ate his tribe." Skalidor muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Pythor asked.

"Nothing your Anacondrainess."

"Kisstail." Acidicus mumbled.

When they got to the park they were strategizing on how to set themselves up to scare. Pythor and Skales on the other hand were planning out some locations of where the Lost City of Ouroboros could be.

They overheard the Venomari planning to hide themselves in the Haunted House and Haunted Train Ride. The Fangpyre were going to sabotage some of the rides and turn them into Serpentine contraptions. The Hypnobrai and Constricti were going to be on guard for anyone who would stop them. There had been a weird samurai figure that had been fighting Serpentine gang members since the traffic accident and they would definitely keep watch for the red Ronan.

_TIME:5:30; 1 Hour Before Jay and Nya's Date_

"Kai, look what I found!" Nya exclaimed as she brought in a large bag with odd edges.

"What? More scrap metal? You don't have to hide that your building something." Kai said before he took the bag for her since it seemed heavy.

"Careful. I found bones. Snake bones. Remember how before father died he would tell stories about helping imprison the Serpentine when he was a boy? According to Ninjago's National Archive this is a Fangpyre skeleton. I found it at the Ninjago All Day Fossil Dig. We also got fifty dollars as a reward for a plentiful dig and I have twenty-four hours to do research before it goes into the museum." Nya explained before she started putting the bones together on the table.

"Don't you have a date in an hour?"

"Yeah but I'll be ready. It won't take me but thirty minutes to do research and ten minutes for putting it together properly."

"Don't girls normally take hours to just do their hair for dates? And what about clothes?"

"You know me Kai. I'm not like them. And Jay didn't ask me out because I overdid it on my looks, he asked me out because I'm me."

"That's my sis. Hey, you haven't happened to hear about the Red Ronan running around, have you?" Kai asked.

"Red Ronan? I've heard of the Samurai but not the Ronan."

"Samurai, Ronan, po-ta-to po-tah-to."

"There's a big difference Kai. A samurai is an honorable warrior who serves a master. A Ronan is a samurai without a master." Nya explained while she carefully fitted the spine together.

"Thirty minutes? There's no way you can fit all those pieces together in thirty minutes."

Kai went to work on forging more weapons for them to sell. His sister had sold a lot while he was at the Monastery this week. It was always weekends that he would forge a weeks worth. He'd need to go to Ed and Edna's Scrap and Junk to collect some more metal since they were running low. Kai would also need to order leather and rope from Jamanakai Village.

_Thirty minutes later…._

"Nya, where's the phone?" Kai called as he went back in the house.

"Right here. I ordered pizza for your dinner. Is that alright?"

"Holy cow, you finished it. You actually finished it. Oh and pizza's great."

"I just have ten minutes to do research and then to get ready. You'll be fine without me right?"

"Yeah, I've got to order some supplies from Jamanakai Village and then I'll work on fixing any flaws in the weapons before working on weekend homework."

Jay was combing his hair over in the mirror. He was working on things to say to Nya now that he wasn't afraid to talk to her. He was dressed in a suit because all his other clothes weren't good enough. His mother was getting pictures of him before he locked himself in the bathroom. Jay loved how they were being supportive and he wasn't embarrassed as he once was. He thought it might be because he gained self-confidence yesterday and he didn't let his insecurities bug him.

_Nya doesn't mind that I'm a child of the owners of a junkyard. I guess we all have embarrassing things in life but everything that I am is because of this junkyard. My parents provided support all my life while Nya's parents died before she was even in high school. Her brother had to provide support and she had to try to figure things out by herself. I guess in a way we're more alike than different. We both had to find our own ways even though it wasn't exactly in the same way. Maybe the junkyard was just there to help me find mine just as being half raised by Kai was her way of finding hers._

Jay was borrowing his parents car to pick Nya up in. His father made him. He thanked him before he looked at the piece of paper that had Nya's address. He'd never been to that part of Ninjago before but it wasn't far from school. Jay hoped that the vehicle would impress Nya since nobody had a car like this one.

When he got to her house it was five minutes before six thirty. Jay lost all his thoughts as he went brain dead. He knew he'd mumble and go on and on about unimportant stuff. _Come on Jay, if anything let her do the talking. _Jay smiled and cheered himself on. His thought processing kicked back on as he gained confidence.

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

Kai knew Nya was getting ready still so he went to get the door. As much as he didn't like anyone dating his sister, he'd rather it be Jay than his best friend. Plus Flame was such a donkey when they first met. Kai wanted to skin Flame's hide with the red-skinned boys own teeth when he asked Nya out.

"Sup, Jay." Kai greeted boredly.

"Sorry I'm early." Jay stammered as if Kai would yell at him or something. _He's your friend Jay, he won't bite your head off._

"It's better than late. Nya can't stand it when guys are late."

"Look Jay, while she's getting ready we gotta have a talk." Kai said while looking to something else. He didn't look too happy but that may have been from working on weapons.

The two sat down at the kitchen table. Jay fiddled with his fingers and Kai drummed his fingers on the table. It was awkward silence until Kai figured out what he was going to say.

"I have to play the role of father of the family. You make sure she's home by ten and no later. You break her heart, I will find you. Those lips better only be on your face or I will cut them off and feed them to you. I own a weapons shop so I know how to use them all. Make sure she's happy, blah blah blah, you get the picture."

"I definitely do." Jay nodded._ Bite off head, no. Run through with sword, yes._

"I guess you can wait in the living room. She should be here any time now." Kai said before going back outside with a pizza box. _So that's what that smell was._

While Jay waited he saw a Serpentine skeleton. Interested he wanted to see what kind of snake it was and anything else. After closer examination he could tell that it was a Fangpyre. However while he was looking closer at the feet his hand hit the fang.

"Ow!" Jay muttered before withdrawing the pricked hand.

"Hi Jay." A voice said from the doorway.

Jay turned to see Nya dressed in maroon and gold. His jaw dropped and a small noise came from his throat. She smiled before putting something in her purse and then linking her arm with his.

"Woah, nice car Jay!" Nya exclaimed when she saw the scrap car.

"My parents built it. It's actually theirs." Jay admitted while opening the door for her.

"I can't wait to meet them. They sound so interesting."

"They can be but if you start talking then they start talking and then before you know it half the day has gone by."

"Are you ashamed of your parents?" Nya asked while raising an eyebrow.

"No, not at all. I love my parents. It's just that sometimes…" Jay's voice trailed off.

"I get it. Now, we've got a date to worry about." Nya smiled at him.

"And in Little Scouts I was the first to get my knot tying badge… and are you okay?"

"Yeah, but I keep noticing people screaming and running away from the haunted rides."

"But those were never scary."

"I know. It makes me wonder."

"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom." Jay said before getting up.

He looked in the mirror and then he noticed his hand was green with scales. Jay moved his sleeve up and found the snakelike green climbing up his arm. Luckily Nya hadn't seen this at all.

"Oh gossssh, I'm turning into a sssnake!" He hissed.

Jay quickly looked in a random box that was listed _Lost and Found _ and pulled out gloves and a maroon scarf. He'd return them later but right now he couldn't show his face like this. Jay hid in the bathroom stall and hoped Nya would forgive him.

Back at the table Nya's bracelet was flashing. She had a secret. She was the Samurai. Samurai X to be precise. She didn't know where they got the Red Ronan from but it was accurate. As Samurai X she got to save people and fight Serpentine gang members.

From eavesdropping on her brother she found out that the Serpentine could shape shift from humans to snakes and that the best friends like Flame could do the same only turn into dragons. She found out also that they were training at the Monastery to fight evil. Nya was going to fight with them only in disguise.

"I'm sorry Jay. I need to find out what my suits detected." Nya whispered before she pressed the button on her bracelet and got out her samurai helmet in her purse.

Jay looked out the door to find that Nya had left. He sighed and knew that he blew it. However he hadn't noticed how much he had converted to a snake.

"Snake!" A kid shouted and then the people in the restaurant started attacking him with food.

"Ow! Thisss ssssnake isss actually a good guy!" Jay protested as he was beaten with dinner rolls and shish kabobs.

Nya was in her Samurai X suit and looking around the park for some clue to the scared people. She was going around through the back of the Haunted Train ride when she was surrounded by different color snake humanoids. _Serpentine._

"Samurai X, I presume. I am Pythor P. Chumsworth. It's time to find out why you've been arresting some of our great members of our gang. Let's see who's really inside the suit." Pythor hissed and Nya knew she could only fight so many of them but she wasn't going to let that stop her.

She turned in the mech and Pythor tripped her with his incredibly long tail. The mech opened and she flew out and rolled a tumble or two. She still had her helmet on but the snakes were everywhere and without her mech she couldn't fight them all.

"Aww man, it looks like I bit off more than I could chew." Nya whimpered.

She stepped on Pythor's tail and then aimed a kick at a red snake closest to her left. That snake flew back and so she attack another. However they swarmed her and she was taken away.

Jay wasn't having any luck either. He crawled over to the bathroom door to escape. When he came back out he had his scarf wrapped around his head so they couldn't tell it was him.

"I wouldn't go in there people. Thisss issn't dinner theater. It'sss real. Arm yourssselvess." Jay said as he snuck by. He kept the scarf tied on while he searched for Nya. However, he noticed he grew a tail.

"Keep calm Jay, lots of girlsss like tailssss."

When he found her she was tied to a roller coaster. After further examination he noticed that there was a flaming ring and broken track. Jay ran over and hopped on too. He was just in time because the ride started to move.

"Nya, Jay began.

"Jay, you said you were first to get your knot badge right? Can you untie me?" Nya asked.

"I can't. I lied about that to impressss you."

"To impress me? But I'm so-"

"Perfect."

"Wait, I heard from other people in the park that the Sssamurai was here. Maybe he could help us. Ssssamurai! Sssssamurai!"

"Jay, I don't think the Samurai is coming. And why do you have extended s's?"

"That ssssnake sssskeleton you had, I pricked my hand on a fang." Jay admitted before the scarf blew off.

"That's why you left?" She asked.

"Yesss. Sssamurai!"

"I haven't been entirely honest. I'm the Samurai!" Nya admitted. She noticed how close their end was coming.

"You're the Sssamurai? That'ssss awesome!"

"Look Jay, you don't have to pretend to be someone you're not to impress me. I like you for you. Remember, you're the best you." Nya said before she kissed him on the cheek.

Jay started losing the green reptilian skin immediately. He was regular Jay again. But he also looked different. He looked more confident and seemed to be glowing with it. Or it may have been sunlight.

"I know how to save us." Jay said seriously before he got up and climbed to the cart behind them. They were almost to the flames. He grabbed a rusted bar and felt a static charge exit his hands and the bar broke off. Using that he jammed the chain and while sparks flew it slowed them down. He did the same to the opposite bar and stabbed it into the other side. They slowed to a complete stop right in front of the flaming ring.

"Jay, I found out the Serpentine are here at the park, in snake form. We've got to tell someone." Nya said while he used the rusted bar to cut her free.

"Let's leave them alone. There's not anything we can do anyways. In the future I swear we will pay them back for doing this." Jay said before he and Nya walked to the car. It was getting close to nine thirty and it was a thirty minute ride back to her place.

"I had a great time." Nya said when they parked in front of the house.

"I have a question. How'd you know kissing my cheek would stop the venom from spreading?"

"I did research. A raised heartbeat reverses the effects."

"You're truly amazing Nya."

"Okay lovebirds. It's ten. Bye Jay." Kai interrupted from the window.

"Bye Jay." Nya said before she went inside.

Jay sighed before he drove back to his house. He knew that if he was with Nya he could do anything. However that static charge was strange. He remembered how Sensei Wu said that he and Wisp were embodiments of lightning. Could that explain it? Maybe Jay was just awesome like that. Whatever it was, Jay would try to master it. After all Jay didn't give up no matter how many of his inventions fail or how many times it takes him to find the words to say to Nya. Jay was lightning and lightning was determination.


	20. Map to Flamey Pt I

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 20: The Map for Flamey Pt 1

_SUNDAY AFTERNOON:  
_"Alright students. Since two of you haven't bothered to show up we're just going to move on. I hope you all have been trying to get Kai and Flame to come back. Zane, any news on when Shard will join us?"

"Yes Sensei, Shard has told me that he should be getting out this week if his improvement doesn't decrease. He still needs to catch up on everything though." Zane replied.

The boys were gathered around in sweats and t-shirts and Sensei Wu was still dressed in his usual uniform. He either had a large supply of those robes or he washed it every night or he never changed. And strangely his beard never changed. Sensei Wu was an odd person but none of the ninja trainees could figure him out.

"Excellent. Now, today we have an important artifact to get. The only way to get it is to go to Kai's house. I do not know where that is. However, the map belonged to his father and it was the map I gave him to hide. Now we need that map again and another secret will be revealed. One question, have any of you dragons noticed any changes?" Sensei Wu asked before getting up and signaling for them to get up as well.

"We're growing scales." Wisp answered. Rocky showed the four fully grown ones on his arm and one growing next to those.

"You're progressing as expected. Five days have passed since you started physically turning into a dragon permanently."

"Permanently?!" The two exclaimed in unison.

"I know, that is quite shocking but you are destined to become dragons. Once the Serpentine members turn twenty they will fully become snakes. That would be when they reach adulthood. You dragons have two stages left. You will become four adolescent dragons and then when the time comes you will migrate to become the Ultra Dragon, your final adult form. That would be when you turn twenty." Sensei explained and you could hear a strange tone in his voice.

"Was that one of the secrets?" Rocky asked, his voice was shaking.

"Yes. The other is that the Skulkin aren't who they say they are. They are actually skeleton warriors and they are serving my brother. Remember how I said that he had dark powers? He was once banished to the Underworld and Samukai had fetched the Golden Weapons for him as a human. No mortal can bear all four weapons at once and Samukai was destroyed and turned into a skeleton. That is why he transferred to Skulkin Academy. Anyway, my brother went to the Netherworld to be able to wield the weapons. He sent the Skulkin to get the map from Kai's place and now we're going to make sure they don't get the map. When Samukai died he forgot where the weapons were hidden and they transported back to their places."

"There's a hole in that story Sensei. If he got the weapons with the map then wouldn't the map be somewhere else?" Zane asked.

"When Samukai was human he had a photographic memory. He memorized the locations and then got the weapons. He didn't need the map."

"That is too much of a coincidence." Cole huffed.

"Ninjago history is complicated." Jay complained.

"But Sensei, if he could find the map in his human life, wouldn't he find it in his undead life?" Zane asked.

"That's why we've got to get there first." Sensei finished before they took off running.

"What if we have to fight them?" Wisp asked.

"There is a martial art that each of you have learned. It is called Spinjitzu. Using a special technique you can tap into your element and siphon a tornado purely made of that element. It slows ones enemies and gives you a fighting chance."

"When did we learn this exactly? And how do we get there?" Rocky asked before they came to a horse carriage.

"You learned it when you trained. I must present you with your uniforms. Ninja-gooo!" Sensei explained before he spun into a golden tornado. Each of the boys spun for a second as he passed them and they noticed they were dressed differently.

"Jay, Wisp, you have blue for lightning. Zane and Shard, white for ice. Kai and Flame, red for fire. Rocky and Cole, black for earth."

The Dragon's uniforms looked different from the Ninja's. There was their element outlining the dragon's face pattern on the jacket. The pants were plain. Their hood was plain also besides that it only showed their eyes and eyebrows.

"Neat!" They exclaimed in unison.

"Now we've got a map to get back." Cole announced and clenched his fist in front of him.

"So are there horses for this thing or…."Jay began to ask before he found out the answer.

_ALMOST TO KAI'S HOUSE:_

"I sense this is some strange form of team building." Zane said while they pulled the cart with Sensei riding in the back. They had Wisp pulling the part that required the least amount of work so it would be easy on his heart.

"We're almost there." Jay told them all. He remembered from yesterday.

"Once we get the map, are we going to get the weapons?" Cole asked. He was in the leading spot with Rocky and Zane in the support positions. Jay and Wisp were in the backup positions.

"Correct." Sensei replied.

"Just over this hill and past the farmers and we'll be there." Jay informed.

"I also sense others coming from behind us." Zane added.

Jay and Wisp turned to see large skeleton style vehicles coming. Dark purple-black clouds were following them. None of them were alive like at the football game so they could only assume that the students were doomed to die at Skulkin Academy. Wisp could faintly make out the figure of Samukai who now had four arms.

"Why is it that everyone we know is evil?" Wisp asked before he started coughing. He one handed signed that he was okay.

"We're here!" Jay announced and they parked the carriage.

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

Kai opened the door to the house/shop to find the entire group with Sensei Wu. He let them in but eyed Sensei Wu.

"What are you all doing here? It's not my birthday." Kai said.

"Your father has a map hidden here. If we didn't come you'd be attacked and possibly killed." Cole explained.

"Attacked? Good thing this is a weapons shop." Kai sighed before leading them to the shop part.

"Take your pick. I just crafted these yesterday."

None of them had experience with weapons before. Kai knew how to use the weapons but not fight with them. Sensei Wu knew how to use weapons but he preferred his bamboo staff.

Jay looked at all the weapons that had blades and pointy edges and with how clumsy he was he knew those wouldn't be good for him. He looked through quickly since the enemy was approaching. Then he saw a weapon that outmatched the others. Two black handles and a silver chain. Jay picked up the nunchuks and was in love with them.

Zane's eyes scanned through the weapons until he found the weapon Sensei Wu said belonged to him. _Shurikens_. If he learned how to use them in this battle then when it came to mastering them later he would already have experience. When he picked them up they felt lightweight and like they were meant to be his weapon. Of course he'd give these back to Kai after the fight but Zane knew that destiny made the shuriken his weapon.

Cole tried a few weapons but none of them worked for him. The skeletons were outside the door now and the others went out to fight. Kai had taken a sword, Zane looked to be carrying throwing stars, and Jay took nunchuks. Cole turned with his back towards the weapons and stuck his hand behind him. The first handle he grabbed he took out into battle with him. He carried a scythe.

The Ninja and Dragons had their hood pulled over their heads and faces. Kai was wearing poorly crafted samurai armor. Sensei Wu was missing from the battle due to looking for the map. The Dragons were using their training to fight skeletons. Rocky did a spinning back kick and skeleton bones flew in all different directions.

"What do you call a skeleton who won't wake up in the morning?" Jay asked.

"_Lazy bones_!" Wisp replied before they both aimed an attack at a bonehead.

"What did the skeleton say to the vampire?" Wisp asked before he coughed again.

"I have a _bone_ to pick with you!" Jay replied and they both laughed before taking down three more.

"How did the skeleton know it was winter?" Jay began.

"He could feel it in his bones."

"Why didn't the man eat the skeleton for dinner?"

"He said it was bone dry!"

"What did the villain skeleton say to the hero skeleton?"

"I'm bad to the bone."

The jokes got worse from there.

Two of Samukai's students snuck inside the shop looking for the map. They got into a fight and Kruncha shoved Nuckal into the wall. The sign that said 4 Weapons slid down and revealed a parchment with four weapons on it. They cheered with joy before taking the map and heading to the Skull Truck.

Samukai and Kai were having a one on one near the water tower. Samukai had bone daggers each in one of his four hands. Kai's sword was knocked out of his hand as well as he being knocked the ground. Samukai threw the four daggers into one of the beams and the water tower began to fall.

A golden tornado swooped in and brought Kai to safety. Kai realized that he was now wearing a red gi that matched the others. He pulled his hood up and began to fight the other skeletons leaving Sensei Wu to fight the boss.

"Sensei Wu, your Spinjitzu looks rusty."

"Nothing like bone to sharpen its edge, Samukai!"

"_Lord _Garmadon says take the girl!"

Nya had been fighting too but none of the Ninja or Dragons had seen her. She had two daggers in her hands and a red cloth tied around her forehead to keep her hair out of her eyes. Before she knew it a large bone hand grabbed her around the middle and flung her over onto the truck. Her weapons flew from her hands and the cloth came untied.

"SIS!" Kai yelled as he heard her scream.

"KAI!"


	21. Map to Flamey Pt II

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 21: The Map for Flamey Pt 2

After the battle all the boys worked to clean up the damage from the fight. Kai was angry but he kept it inside which wasn't like him. He knew that he'd need to work with them all if he wanted to get his sister back.

"Kai, I know you're upset about losing your sister but we will get her back. When we get the Golden Weapons we'll stand an equal chance with fighting them. We may have lost the fight today but the battle still rages on." Cole said in a low tone to the spiky haired teen.

"I know. But we lost the map to the skeletons. We don't even know where they are."

Rocky was helping to fix the water tower with Wisp when he felt strange. His eyes went reptilian and he was morphing. Wisp watched curiously as his friend was crawling on the ground like a small dragon. He even had a tail and small wings. Rocky was sniffing the ground and going in a certain direction.

"Hey guys! Rocky smells something!" Wisp called. The boys gathered together and followed the dragon hybrid.

After a couple of miles the teenagers came to a large canyon. It was crawling with skeletons. Rocky didn't notice them but he kept crawling by. The Ninja and Dragons were following in stealth and none of them were seen. They worked around the construction site and then they split up. The Dragon followed Rocky while the Ninja went to the place Samukai was at the get the map.

"It's upside down." Jay whispered to them while they watched Samukai read it. Once he set it down and walked to observe, Zane threw down a shuriken tied to a rope and pulled the map back to them.

"That's the cave the Dragons went in." Cole said and they snuck all the way to the cave.

When they got there they found the dragons trying to shift a rock out of the way. The Ninja helped while Rocky clawed at the boulder. Once it was open the dragon slithered inside ahead of them. They all hurried inside to find that Rocky wasn't himself anymore. He was a giant earth dragon.

"AHHH!" Cole screamed. He was scared of dragons. Even if they were his best friend.

"Sensei Wu said that the dragons were the Guardians of the Weapons. The Scythe must be behind him and its power changed him." Zane concluded.

"Do we have to fight him?" Wisp asked. He shuddered to think what would happen when they went after the Nunchuks of Lightning.

"Oh great Guardian, we are here to get the scythe! Please do not eat us!" Jay called. Rocky roared.

"That alerted the skeletons!" Cole told them and then he ran and slid under Rocky to get the scythe. He wrapped it in a cloth and tossed it to Kai.

Rocky started chasing them out of the cave and they saw the skeletons approaching. Kai took the scythe out and turned around while raising it.

"Kai! Don't!" Cole warned but Kai swung the weapon down. A large crack opened in the floor of the cave and a rock hit Rocky in the head and knocked him out.

"I'm sorry man but the skeletons are coming. He's not himself right now." Kai replied.

The Ninja and remaining Dragon soon found themselves surrounded by skeletons. They had no choice but to fight to escape and this time they weren't going to use the scythe if they could help it. They felt guilty about leaving Rocky behind but if he were human he'd understand.

Jay noticed a pattern to the skeletons attacking. He got it! He knew what Sensei Wu meant by the learned Spinjitzu already.

"Hey guys, it's just like the training course! Over the planks, dodge the swords, here comes the dummy!" Jay shouted before he started spinning. He discovered Spinjitzu first!

"Spinjitzu! Jay, what's the key?" Kai called.

"I'm just going through the motions." Jay replied while taking down several skeletons who were coming at him in slow motion.

Once they all got their Spinjitzu mastered it was messing with the cave. Rocks began to fall and the Skulkin were retreating. They quickly used their Spinjitzu to climb up the falling rocks and out a crack in the ceiling. They all fell to the ground outside.

"I sure hope Rocky's alright." Cole muttered as they all got off the ground.

"The good news is we have the map and the first golden weapon. We also unlocked Spinjitzu. I take it that this mission was a success." Zane said cheery.

"The bad news is Rocky is a dragon in that cave and they have my sister." Kai growled before handing Cole the scythe.

"I see you got the scythe. Where's Rocky?" Sensei Wu asked after mysteriously appearing.

"He turned into a dragon and was guarding the weapon. We had to leave him behind because we were attacked by the Skulkin." Cole explained sadly.

"He's an Earth dragon, he'll get out of the cave in no time. However, since we know the Skulkin are after the weapons they'll follow us from afar. We need to get them first. Did you get the map back?"

"Yes, but why was it hidden at my father's shop?" Kai asked.

"Your father was one of my greatest friends. Whenever I hid the weapons he made the map and I told him to hide it. He would never reveal its location to anyone and he didn't. Not even you or your sister knew about the map. I knew the Flamey bloodline would protect the shop that it was hidden in so it became a Map for Flamey." Sensei Wu explained.

"You were right about protecting the shop but why a map for us?"

"You'd never let the map be stolen once you knew about it. Now it's up to you to safeguard it Kai." Sensei Wu finished before he turned his back towards the group and looked towards the stars appearing in the sky.


	22. Lies

NCHS

By Secret Dancer

Chapter 22: Lies

When Zane got back to his house it was late at night. His father was already asleep. He knew the door squeaked whenever it opened and that would alert his father. Instead he climbed up the tree outside of his window and slid in after prying it open. That was a small price to pay after getting the first weapon and fighting skeletons.

When Zane changed into his white pajamas it was already midnight. They'd spent the last couple of hours trying to dig Rocky out of the rubble. Eventually they had to give up much to the regret of Cole. Zane's thoughts raced around his head and he decided a little meditation would help him fall asleep.

_Zane was putting up posters of some blade when he noticed the Falcon. He immediately dropped everything and started following it. Kai, Jay, and Cole noticed it as well and started chasing it along with him. Zane wasn't paying attention though as each of his brothers slowly started to stop following one by one until it was only him left._

_When they got to a birch wood forest the falcon suddenly jerked and nosedived to the ground. When Zane approached it he saw sparks shoot out._

_ "You're a-a robot?" He questioned before picking the robotic bird up._

_ Zane heard a thumping nose of metal on snow and placed the falcon down before instantly turning in defense. A large bronze robot emerged and two blue beams scanned the area until they locked on him. The robot began firing and Zane tapped into his elemental weapons to create a snow mobile. He raced around and then flew into the air and tossed his shurikens. _

_ The golden weapons had clogged the weapon mechanism and allowed Zane to fly behind the machine. He caught a view of a control panel on the back of the bronze fighter. The shurikens felt their master calling them back and Zane caught them in his hands. He then used their power to capture the Juggernaut in a large pile of snow. With the robot trapped Zane dodged some shots as he ran and flipped over the enemy and holding onto its shoulder with one hand and using the other holding a shuriken to shatter the control systems._

_ The Juggernaut-as Zane dubbed him- began to malfunction. He did a dance and shot some lasers in the air while an obnoxious horn played. His hand pointed in the air before he did a goodbye move. The Juggernaut finished with a salute before collapsing to the ground. Once it did Zane noticed a symbol near the panel before he got off its back and went back to the Falcon. It was there he noticed the same symbol._

_ Zane looked around the area to see what the Falcon had wanted to show him while he carried the feathered creature. He came across a large birch with the same symbol on it. After closer examination he found that it was a door. Zane pried it open and dust flew out and evaporated in the cool night air. Curiosity claimed him and he descended down the winding staircase._

_ When he got to the bottom he set the Falcon down on a table with blueprints. Those prints matched the Falcon and Zane was able to read them. He searched for the panel before he tapped on the birds chest. Immediately it sprung to life and flapped its wings to help stand up. The Falcon flew a circle in the air before landing on Zane's arm. Then it flew onto a beam._

_ Zane looked at the blueprints closer. He caught the corner of one sticking out from a desk. When he pulled it out he examined it to find a surprise. _

_ "No! No! NO!"_

_ Zane too was a robot. The other caught up to him. He told them he wanted some time to think. After a while he opened his chest panel and flipped a switch. According to his blueprints it was the memory switch._

Zane gasped as he woke from his dream. He was still in his meditation position and the clock read four a.m. He was breathing deeply now and his hands were shaking. Zane was trying to make sense of this dream. Sure he'd had dreams that had come true before but this one was…too real.

_Remember what one of your teachers had said last year? There are alternate universes and within those universes are each and everyone one of us living a different life than the one we are now. Any dream you have that seems too real and is not may be a vision through your other life's eyes._

"Maybe I did see through another me's eyes? No, that's illogical. The possibilities of that aren't even one percent. But still," Zane mumbled to himself before he unbuttoned his pajama top.

Nervously Zane checked for an outline of a chest panel. He couldn't find one. Then he searched for a way to open it like he did in his dream. The dream-self had a bump like a gap in a rib cage that was the way to open the panel. Zane felt one. He pulled and the panel opened.

"No, no, no!" Zane gasped. He started to panic and couldn't locate his inner calm.

"My whole life's been a lie." He whispered before he began to cry. He closed the panel.

"All of it, meant nothing."

_No, this doesn't change a thing. Maybe father was waiting until I was ready to hear that I wasn't human. Yeah, that might be the reason. That's eighty-percent logical. However, I wouldn't be a robot. The proper term would be android since I appear human and have artificial intelligence. This would explain so much and yet could it amount to so little? Maybe with time this will all make sense._

Zane went back to sleep through meditation again. He found it an easier and calmer way to fall asleep. That's when the second dream struck.

_Memories flashed before his eyes in a backwards motion. Then they stopped. The story of his life replayed._

_ He saw glasses being placed on a friendly face. The man had dark brown hair and eyes that were kind. _

_ Feet. They had white shoes. Zane was learning to walk._

_ Reflection. Zane was being helped with walking for the first time. He saw his reflection and was amazed. He could see himself! He could see what others could see._

_ Zane was learning now. He kicked a ball at the wall. Fun! Lots of fun! He thought before it attacked him. The ball hit him in the tummy and it hurt! He fell onto the ground._

_ Father. He helped Zane up. The hurt was gone. Love took its place._

_ Spoon. Zane held up a large spoon and marveled how strange it was. He then questioned it. He didn't know how to use it! Father nodded and Zane began to stir stuff in a bowl. That's what spoon does! Zane thought. There was a circle thing that lifted the stuff up and left the rest in there! Zane tasted the stuff and the circle thing lost the stuff. It disappeared! But the stuff was yummy! His father smiled._

_ Toy! Zane cradled his first toy in his arms. His father was older now and his brown hair was graying. His father made the toy and Zane loved it!_

_ Falcon. Father finished screwing a bolt in on the Falcon before his companion took off flying. His father was aging more but Zane noticed that he was not._

_ Playing. A small face car and the falcon on his arm. Father was setting something weird up. He heard his name and turned with a smile towards his father. Stood together. A flash. The photograph!_

_ Words. Father was telling him words. "You were built to protect those who cannot protect themselves." While Father spoke, Zane released a butterfly and they watched it fly._

_ Pain. Zane felt pain. Sadness. More words. "You were always the son I never had. It's time to begin your next stage in life. And the only reason I'm about to do this is because I love you." Zane smiled weakly at his dying father. Father looked old and Zane still hadn't changed. He smiled for his fading father who opened his chest panel. Father flipped a switch._

_ Dark. Scared. Lonely. Pain. Confusion._

In his sleep a tear slipped from Zane's eye.

When Zane got up in the morning he wanted to ask his father something. He learned he was a robot last night. He wondered if the dreams could be true.

"Father," Zane began at the table.

"Yes, son?"

"Why am I an android?"

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**A/N: Hello readers! Thank you for reading my Ninjago High School AU. I have part II I am currently working on but I do not know when it will be up. Just be patient and there's a poll on my profile for choosing your favorite character from this book. I hope you enjoyed!  
**


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